Quarry Springs still offers a place to go

While most places have either shut down or modified their services during the coronavirus pandemic, Quarry Springs Park is still offering a place for people to go and get away, as long as you follow social distancing rules.

The bathrooms are closed to the public and the campgrounds aren't available for people to use, but there are still plenty of things for people to do at Quarry Springs Park including fishing, hiking and outdoor experiences.

"The park is open until we hear differently from the governor," Colfax Park and Auxilliary Board Vice President Doug Garrett said.

There are plenty of opportunities for picnicking or kayaking out at the park, Garrett said, as long as people pick up their trash and maintaining a safe distance from others.

"Go ahead and come out and enjoy the park. Everyone needs a place to come and have some recreation and exercise because it is certainly no fun sitting in your house," Garrett said.

The decision to keep the park open was a combination of things. It does not have playground equipment to monitor and, in general, teh park doesn't have a lot of instances were people would come in contact with items other people have touched,

"People still need to have just fresh air and exercise opportunities ... and that's what the parks are for in the first place," Garrett said.

While Quarry Springs is open for people to come out and enjoy, organizers did have to cancel upcoming events. The Paddle Skedaddle and the kids fishing derby are local favorites that have to take a year off.

"We just felt like it was probably in everybody's best interest just to cancel everything for this year," Garrett said.

While Quarry Springs is a hit with residents of Jasper County, Garrett said it isn't just them who are coming out to enjoy the park. People have been calling from outside the county to ask about kayaking and other activities.

"We have people coming from all over Central Iowa," Garrett said.

One draw that might bring out first timers to Quarry Springs is the osprey population who frequent the park. Whether the Osprey are fishing or building nests, Garrett said they can be seen in the park

"That is one of our draws that not to many other people around here have. There is a limited number of osprey in the whole state," Garrett said.

While the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep opportunities for recreation limited, Quarry Springs will continue to provide a place of respite for people. There is still plenty to do and see on the trails and in the water.

"Be safe in what you do, be respectful of other people that are around you," Garrett said.

One thing Garrett said was for people to monitor the Quarry Springs Park Facebook page just in the case the status of the park changes.

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com