Will Baker Park will expand

The City of Decorah on Tuesday closed on the purchase of 20 acres of farmland next to Will Baker Park.  The property is being bought at a price of just over $88,000.

The Quandahl property is located in the floodplain, but that won't prevent the Park-Rec Department from getting full use of it.  The property will be used for soccer fields, football practice fields and other fields that just need green space and not any buildings.

The purchase, which was approved unanimously by the Decorah City council on Monday night, was several years in the making, with city officials having had numerous conversations with the property owner.  This time when the subject of a purchase came up again, the two sides were able to reach an agreement--and the property has now become part of the city's park system.