Officials broke ground on Electric City's first park, an Ice Age-themed area expected to be finished near the end of July, 2020 at a cost of over a half million dollars.

A ground-breaking event at the lot behind the fire hall was attended by a group of roughly 30-40 citizens and their children, current and former city council members, and clerks.

Flanked by his brothers, Kingston, left, and Emmanuel, right, Enoch Seekins holds a stuffed wooly mammoth toy he won at the event.

The little tykes found hidden toy eggs in the area of the upcoming park, and were awarded prizes including a stuffed wooly mammoth, various toys and candy.

Popcorn was provided by local business The Popcorn Shoppe. There was also hot chocolate and other refreshments.

Mayor John Nordine thanked current Councilmember Lonna Bussert and former councilmember Brad Parish for starting the effort about five years ago, among other institutions and individuals, before an assorted group donned hardhats and picked up gold-colored shovels to ceremoniously break ground.

The park, designed by SPVV Landscape Architects, will include a splash pad, a mammoth head-like playground feature, a fossil digging area, a Steamboat Rock feature, a log jam climbing structure, and other playground-type features.

The project is funded with a grant of approximately $257,500 from the state Recreation Conservation Office, matched by the city for a total of $515,000.