The McLeod County Board recently approved a proposal for electrical upgrades at the Piepenburg Park Campground during their meeting on November 5.
The board unanimously accepted an estimate from Design Electric of Hutchinson for the project, which is set to cost $77,770, with an additional $5,500 for an alternate option, bringing the total to $83,270. The funding will be provided through the Coronavirus Relief Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
According to McLeod County Parks and Recreation Manager Jon Jerabek, the electrical upgrades were identified as a priority in the county’s parks plan and had been discussed in a County Board workshop earlier this year.
The planned upgrades will include the installation of 50/30/20-amp pedestals at RV sites that currently do not have one, as well as the relocation of existing pedestals to the back right of sites that already have 50/30/20-amp service.
The alternate option, recommended by Design Electric, would allow for the installation of additional 200-amp power sources in the future, resulting in a “cleaner, more cost-effective installation,” Jerabek said to the McLeod County Chronicle.
A second estimate for the electrical upgrades, provided by e2 Electrical Services of Hutchinson, came to $106,278.
Piepenburg Park Campground, located on the southeast corner of Belle Lake, offers a variety of amenities, including camping, picnic shelters, walking trails, fishing piers, boat access, a beach, a playground, and open spaces for activities.
Facilities at the campground include picnic shelters with grills, a beach (with no lifeguard on duty), a fishing pier, a boat landing, walking trails, a main restroom and shower building, and playground equipment.
Camping fees at Piepenburg Park are $35 per day for electric sites and $25 per day for non-electric sites. There is an additional $25 per day charge for extra tents, with a maximum of three units per site. A dump station is available free for paid campers, while others are charged $10. Picnic shelter reservations are available for $55 per day.
