The Portage la Prairie Rotary Club has wrapped up work on the duck pond for the year.

This year, crews started the project, re-did the waterfall, and the edging.

Rotary Club member Preston Meier says the upgrade is long overdue.

"We all have memories of what it was like, maybe 20 or 30 years ago. So, the Rotary Club took it on as a major project, and we did start it in the springtime. It was delayed a little bit because of COVID, but we certainly had plans to redo everything from the waterfall, to the edges. Of course, it's a two or three-year project depending on the availability of volunteers, fundraising and so on."

The Rotary Club initially took on the project but has received a lot of help from local businesses, friends of the rotary, and even strangers.

"We even had some people that just came and helped us out, because it's a community project, it was heartwarming to see that take place. Not only is it a completed project that we feel is going to add to the beauty of the island, and be a place where people can go and just walk around, and kind of sit down."

The Rotary Club prides itself on being an international organization but loves it when they can get community stakeholders involved in big projects.

Meier outlines what the club hopes to accomplish in 2021.

"We're going to put about another 100 yards of topdressing around the edges of it. Then, we've got the Portage Gardening Club, and a number of our members that are going to be planting not only trees but flowers and shrubs, as well as some grass areas. Areas are intended to have a couple of bump-outs, where you can go and sit in there as well. We're looking at putting on a large deck with a pergola that is inserted into the duck pond."