MANAWA - Less than two years after extensive flood damage forced a major rebuild, Lindsay Park is once again closed following significant flooding in the area.
The park had undergone about $100,000 in repairs after the Manawa Dam failed in July 2024, flooding the park with water and sewage from the nearby wastewater plant and damaging the property. Now much of that investment may be lost.
Lindsay Park is Manawa’s largest park and hosts the city’s youth sports. The park includes the city’s only baseball diamond, where the Manawa Wolves play. The recent severe weather which included a snowstorm dropping 28-inches of snow followed by heavy rainfall has left the park with significant flood damage and debris.
The park grounds are currently littered with weeds from the old mill pond, fallen trees and large stumps that have smashed through multiple parts of the park’s fencing. Beyond the scattered debris, the park’s shelter house sustained flood damage, though Mayor Mike Fraizer said officials are waiting for the area to dry out before evaluating the full scope of necessary repairs.
Frazier said the community successfully sandbagged and protected the nearby wastewater plant from the floodwaters and no wastewater escaped into the park during this flood. He said this is only the third time the park has flooded in his lifetime, with the previous two incidents caused by the dam.
There will be no insurance coverage for damage to the park’s baseball and softball diamonds, Frazier said. He added that he is grateful no flood-related fatalities were reported in the area or in nearby communities, including New London and Fremont.
Lindsay Park will remain closed until further notice while damage is assessed and the grounds dry out.
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