BY: RACHEL WUMKES
For this week’s rendition of the “Feel Good Friday” blog post, we’re going to focus on all the dirt around town these days.
No, not the gossip about your next-door neighbor. Actual dirt. Like the kind you can find in piles around town due to all the new construction and remodeling going on.
How exciting for Clear Lake to see such growth, and during a global pandemic, no less. It just goes to show what a progressive, economically savvy area we live in.
So, what are all these piles of dirt going to make in the end? Well, if you’ve been anywhere near the high school lately, it’s impossible to miss the flurry of activity as they begin construction of the new Wellness Center. What an exhilarating time to be a part of the Clear Lake School District, and the community, as we watch this incredible amenity be built. If the final product is half as cool as the new Lions field, I’d call it a WIN!
If you’re uptown, you may have noticed the orange cones and caution tape around the Ward-Van Slyke funeral home. For the first time in 40 years, the funeral home is getting an upgrade with the addition of 6,000 square feet of space. Construction of the new, single story build will double their current space. This will allow for multiple funerals to be held at a time, along with a reception/lunch area, expanded chapel, lobby and reception space, as well as a new garage.
Now, if you’re driving East, headed into Mason City, you may have noticed quite a bit of dirt movement along the highway near the airport. When finished, that will be the new facility for RAKA. They are an industry leader and premier supplier of forklifts and other industrial products. Basically, every little boy’s dream destination of where you can check out all the cool equipment!
And lastly, on the corner of 4th Ave South and S. 12th Street is the structural bones of the new storage facility. The Clear Lake Storage Depot will consist of 5 buildings, with 61 storage units in all. Units will be large enough for motor homes, campers, boats, pontoons, classic cars, flex space, business assets.
You see? There is dirt moving everywhere around us! New growth, new development, innovation popping up left and right.
As we wrap up small business week, it’s the perfect opportunity to give a great big shout out to the many small businesses right here in Clear Lake. They’ve held on tight, pushing through the trials and tribulations of a global pandemic. But they still need our help. As the holiday season is fast-approaching, I encourage each of you to shop local, purchasing gifts and using services we have right here.
Congrats on the continued growth to each of the above businesses and new endeavors. Let’s keep up the good work, providing an economic commitment to the betterment of our community. It’s what makes Clear Lake such an amazing place to live, work and play.