The Quitman-Lake Fork Kiwanis Club is making progress on several community improvement projects, including updates to the local dog park and walking trail system and the expansion of its downtown veterans banner program.
According to Kiwanis Club secretary Joanne Wisdom, the community dog park is nearing completion, with only a few finishing touches remaining. Water service has recently been installed, making the park operational for visitors. Planned improvements include landscaping along the fence line and the installation of a dedicated dog drinking fountain.
The dog park is part of a broader effort to expand and improve the area’s walking trail system. A new section of trail has been completed, connecting a concrete walkway through wooded areas to a nearby road. The segment represents the first phase of a larger trail network planned for the area.
Work is also continuing on trails near the duck pond, where fresh gravel has recently been added. That section will remain gravel for now while additional improvements are considered. A land management company has also been contracted to improve a portion of the trail that has become difficult to maintain because of unstable ground conditions. Plans call for raising and stabilizing sections of the trail to improve durability and accessibility.
In addition to the park and trail improvements, the Kiwanis Club is continuing its veterans banner program, which recognizes local military veterans. Wisdom said 14 new veterans banners have recently been completed and will soon be added to the display.
The new banners were first displayed at the pavilion during the Quitman Chamber of Commerce’s Liberty Fest celebration on Saturday, July 4, giving residents an opportunity to view them before they are installed along downtown streets.