WHAT: Ceremony to celebrate first run of new Gage Park mini-train
- Opening remarks by Tim Laurent, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation director, and elected officials
- Historic first ride for public determined by online raffle (park patrons purchased $1 tickets to be entered into a drawing for the first ride)
- Ceremonial ride for elected officials, Gage Park Authority members, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation Advisory Board
- Train rides open to general public at 10 a.m.
- Train rides are free on March 13 only
WHEN: 9 a.m. March 13, 2023
WHERE: Gage Park mini-train depot
WHO: Elected officials, Gage Park Authority members, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation Advisory Board members, public
WHY: After 55 years of the Iron Horse diesel powered mini-train a new electric train will continue creating memories for generations of visitors to the park. Parts had become increasingly difficult to find and many times had to be fabricated from scratch to keep the Iron Horse train running. The age of the train also caused more parts to break down. The new electric train has far fewer mechanical parts and will be easier and less expensive to maintain.
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Shawnee County Parks + Recreation includes nearly 60 miles of trails, 2,696 acres of parks and 320 annual days of sporting activities. In addition, the department offers recreation programs, educational programs and golf. A combination of tax dollars, user fees and private donations enables Shawnee County Parks and Recreation to offer parks, sporting and aquatic facilities with state-of-the art features, and beautiful, nationally recognized gardens.