Jeremy Ratliff
Editor
As of early June, construction of the new downtown pocket park is complete.
Named “Bankers Square” in honor of the two city lots of which it sits, having been purchased from Lincoln Community Bank and Merrill Community Bank (then Merrill Federal Savings and Loan) in 2016.
The park is located in the 900 block of East Main Street, between Merrill Community Bank and the Merrill Foto News, Merrill Courier, Wausau Times and Buyers Guide offices.
The park was initially projected to be completed last fall, after breaking ground in mid-July. But according to City Administrator Dave Johnson, various factors played into the project’s extension.
“The majority of work was performed by city personnel when we had them available and some of the work was donated, so we had to work within the donating contractor’s time frame of availability. Due to the early snowfall we could not pour the remaining concrete until this spring.”
As he further explains, motivation behind building Bankers Square was an effort to provide a downtown relaxation and gathering place, for individuals and future events.
“The park offers a downtown river view and overlooks the River Bend Trail. The hope is to someday be able to connect the park to the River Bend Trail, once we figure out how to cross the railroad tracks at a reasonable cost,” Johnson said.
While there are no events currently planned for the park, Johnson said the city is open to suggestions.
“At the suggestion of a downtown business owner, we included an anchored concrete in-ground stand for a large Christmas Tree,” he adds.