Indiana park that lost trees to tornado will be replanted

KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - A central Indiana park that lost most of its mature trees to an August tornado will be replanted with native trees as crews rebuild its damaged playgrounds.

A tornado swept Kokomo on Aug. 24 with winds of up to 152 mph, uprooting more than 60 of Highland Park's mature trees, many of them more than a century old. That storm also ravaged the park's playgrounds and its baseball diamonds' fencing and bleachers.

The Kokomo Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2dqRV7S ) Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union has pledged $29,000 as the first donation for the Rebuild Highland Park fund. That fund will pay to replant trees and repair the park's playgrounds, including its wheelchair-accessible playground.

Mayor Greg Goodnight says 16 native tree species, including oak and black walnut, will be replanted in the park.

___

Information from: Kokomo Tribune, http://www.ktonline.com