Photo Courtesy of The Pelican Press
Tuesday afternoon, January 24th in Pelican Rapids marked the demolition of the locally known “Windmill Building”, was built in 1924.
Lance Roisum, The Pelican Rapids City Administrator said,
“It’s tough to see things go, tough to see change and something different in town, but in the end, its going to be a really really nice project”
The cement block structure sat next to the dam and large pelican statue prior to Pelican Rapids dam removal.
Louis Hoglund the Managing Editor of the Pelican Press said,
“The building’s demolition and removal of the dam is all part of the overall river restoration project”.
Pelican Rapids Mayor Brent Frazier said, “The project started a week before Christmas, and has been making great progress”.
Construction has been ongoing as contractor Rachel Construction and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources continue to work on the river restoration project.
With the project estimated at $2.72 million the DNR’s plan is to construct a rock arch style rapids, and a series of boulders that allow the river to flow more naturally and fish to swim upstream for spawning.
The new rapids also will offer recreational opportunities for kayakers, canoeists, tubers, and flat stones along the riverbank will provide a great place for fishing.
Photo Courtesy of The Pelican Press.
Lance Roisum added,
” It’ll be a big draw, it will look really really nice when it’s done. Actually, were called Pelican Rapids not Pelican Falls so were actually staying true to our name now”.
Mayor Brent Frazier also shared,
“The rock rapids will also bring 17 different varieties of fish back that were once native to the Pelican Rapids area, including favorable mussels and clams that aid in feeding fish and aquatic life”
As an addition part of the project, Pelican Pete, the famous 15.5-foot-tall pelican statue, was moved off site Wednesday, Jan 4th for renovation and safe storage during the river restoration.
The statue was built in 1957 and was constructed for the town’s Jubilee Celebration in 1958.
The dam was built 87 years earlier in 1870.