Tree planting for tornado-ravaged park raises nearly $90K

KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - An effort to replant trees and make repairs at a central Indiana park ravaged by an August tornado has amassed nearly $90,000 for that project.

The city of Kokomo says its Rebuild Highland Park Fund has more than $88,000 on hand following a $5,000 donation from Howard County.

Mayor Greg Goodnight says the response from private and public entities "has been tremendous."

A tornado that swept Kokomo on Aug. 24 uprooted more than 60 of Highland Park's mature trees, many of them more than a century old. Park playgrounds and the fencing and bleachers around its baseball diamond were also damaged.

The Kokomo Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2hvpBOw ) the park will be replanted with 16 native tree species, including oak and black walnut. Its playgrounds and other infrastructure will also be repaired.

___

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