WEST LAKE OKOBOJI, Iowa – A new boardwalk at 131-year-old Arnolds Park has been completed. 

Built in 1889, Arnolds Park Amusement Park is located along the shores of West Lake Okoboji and is one of the longest operating amusement parks in the world.

The renovation of the boardwalk, also called the promenade, included extensive landscaping and planting, as well as programmable LED lighting on arches that run adjacent to Preservation Plaza in the park. Adjacent to the boardwalk is also the Berkley Bedell State Pier with a new fountain centered under three large scale sailboat sails, new concrete benches and plantings.

Restoration of the boardwalk was funded by Imagine Iowa Great Lakes. Previously, the “Restore the Park” campaign raised the $12 million needed to save the park from being developed into multifamily housing. One of Imagine’s board members suggested specifying Kebony modified wood for the boardwalk, to retain an organic feel for the walking surface.

A total of 2,000 lineal feet of Kebony decking was used in the construction of the 11-foot-wide boardwalk. Kebony was also used for seating on precast concrete benches on the State Pier, which will create a connection between two phases of the boardwalk project and serve as a focal point for the Arnolds Park Promenade.

Kebony is a sustainable wood that doesn’t require any maintenance besides basic cleaning. The wood treatment process was originally developed in Norway and uses a bio-based fluid to improve the qualities and characteristics of the wood.  See http://www.kebony.com