THUMBS UP

Flowers return to downtown NU

Downtown New Ulm is significantly more colorful this week following the annual planting of flowers. A total of 37 planters, 97 pots and 125 hanging baskets were filled with flowers between Tuesday and Thursday. The work was done by over 30 volunteers from several organizations including Sertoma, the New Ulm Gardening Club and New Ulm Chamber of Commerce. The flowers were purchased through a partnership between the New Ulm Chamber, The City of New Ulm, Minnesota Valley Funeral Home and New Ulm Monument. This is an impressive feat of planning and organization to complete in three days and the results are incredible. In addition to the work of planting the flowers, a small army of volunteers makes sure the flowers are watered every day throughout the summer. Everyone involved with floral beautification of downtown is well deserving of a thumbs up.

THUMBS UP

$4 million in bonding for Center Street lift station

After years of trying, New Ulm will receive bond funds from the state to replace the Center Street lift station. The lift station at Center and Front Street is the last of New Ulm’s sewer lift stations. The lift station is over 50 years old and beyond its useful life and needs to be replaced. The city has wanted to replace the lift station with a gravity system for years because it requires less maintenance and has a low risk for system failure. However, the installation of a gravity system was cost prohibitive without state assistance. The $4 million in bonding from the state will go a long way to complete this much needed project.

THUMBS UP

Wading pools now open

The splash pad at North Park officially opened for the summer on May 22 and the wading pools at Lincoln and Washington Parks officially open on Friday. The opening of the wading pools comes as a huge relief following the warm and humid week. Use of the splash pad was not enough to beat the heat. Temperatures are expected to remain in the 80s for the next week.