Several dozen people gathered at a secluded, scenic private park on top of a Minnesota River Valley to dedicate a new deck Sunday.

Fairfax native Jim Weinzetl of Plymouth said he noticed an old deck at the park after placing a large stone with an engraved message near the edge of the river valley overlook.

“When I saw the old deck, I told Jerry it would fall in the river,” said Weinzetl, who founded the GFW Farmers Legacy Fund. “We asked GFW CTE instructor Dave Sellner if he could build a new deck. They built it at the high school in Winthrop, had it hauled to the park before students finished it with a handicap-accessible ramp.”

Weinzetl said the park dates back to 1951 when Jerry Peichel’s father Bill created it.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch A sign on Jerry Peichel’s farmyard shows the way to Peichel’s Hill, a scenic, secluded private park available for public groups several miles east of Fort Ridgely State Park.

“The Fairfax VFW, American Legion and Knights of Columbus got involved and brought a metal shelter to the park. The park became popular for weddings, Boy Scout camping, sunrise church services, and other events,” said Weinzetl.

“I got involved in it because it’s an asset for Fairfax and the area plus I’ve been a good friend of Jerry. I feel really good about it now. It’ll be here for many years,” he said.

Sellner said a lot of student work went into the project.

“We measured the old deck before it was removed. We built as much of it as we could outside at school,” said Sellner. “We didn’t quite finish it by the end of the school year, but we had enough kids willing to come to school to finish it. It was a good project for my construction and manufacturing kids to be a part of and learn. Some of the kids did metal fabrication.”

Three GFW high school juniors — Mason Albrecht of Gibbon and Matt Grosam and Luke Bastian of Fairfax helped with the project. They said they enjoyed it so much, they may go into the construction field after school.

“It was a fun, learning experience,” said Albrecht.

Grosam said there were lots of screws to drill into the deck, but he liked spending several days on the project.

“It was challenging but fun to do something different at school that is used in the real world. We’re building a cabin at school too,” said Bastian.

Words on the large stone at the hill written by Jerry Weldy of Franklin read: “Honoring Jerry Peichel, who thought he was God’s caretaker as he cared for and welcomed everyone to Peichel’s Hill. Where all could come and enjoy nature. And for his love and devotion to this family, his God, his community and his country.”

A U.S. Army veteran, Peichel really feels good about the park now.

“I’m overwhelmed. Dave, Jim and everybody did a wonderful job. It was a good project for the kids. They know how to build a deck now,” he said.