Daily News Podcast
Daily Newsletters
116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Hanna Park pavilion fire being investigated in Marion
Fire crews responded to heavy smoke coming from the pavilion’s restroom on Wednesday afternoon
Aug. 4, 2022 1:57 pm
Marion police are investigating the cause of a fire at Hanna Park.
On Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m.,the Marion Fire Department was called to the park, located at 775 Fairview Drive, on the south side of Marion after reports of smoke coming from the park’s pavilion.
When they arrived, Marion fire crews found ‘heavy smoke’ coming from the restrooms.The pavilion sustained damage near the restroom area. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
City officials did not have any information to share on the cause of the fire as of Thursday afternoon.
Marion Fire Battalion Chief Kale McBurney said one the pavilion’s restrooms had extensive damage due to the fire.
“Crews were able to contain the fire to a single bathroom with little to no extension beyond that bathroom,” McBurney told The Gazette on Thursday. “The bathrooms had been out of service and the doorways had been secured prior to the fire.”
While the park remains open, the shelter and restrooms are closed indefinitely. The pavilion was already scheduled to be replaced within the current fiscal year, ending in June 2023 and the Parks and Recreation Department intends to proceed with those plans.
“There are [still] plans to replace the existing pavilion and restroom with a new structure,” Parks and Recreation Director Seth Staashelm told The Gazette on Thursday. “The new shelter will be open-air [and] the materials for the shelter and the restroom will be designed to handle potential vandalism much better.”
Staashelm added that there hasn’t been any ‘abnormal amount of increase’ in vandalism to the park this year.
Along with post-derecho tree planting, amenities have been added in the city’s revitalization efforts to the southside park including a soccer mini-pitch and new basketball court.
“We would expect improving the amenities will help activate the park with additional users which in return help minimize these types of incidents in this park,” Staashelm said.
Comments: (319) 398-8255; gage.miskimen@thegazette.com
On Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m.,the Marion Fire Department was called to the park, located at 775 Fairview Drive, on the south side of Marion after reports of smoke coming from the park’s pavilion. (Courtesy of City of Marion)
