It was built during the Depression era and now a small pond has been revitalized.
The pond is located at the rear towards the left of the Newberry Public Safety Complex on Nance Street near the fire department’s end.
The pond is thought to have been constructed in the Depression years, said Newberry Fire Chief Keith Minick.
In the 1990s, Minick believes the pond was renovated and fish were put in it.
At one time children touring the fire station were also shown the pond and allowed to feed the fish.
Other community members also stopped by the location to feed and watch them.
But for a number of years the pond has be idle and started to become an eyesore and a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
In the past few months, city firefighters and Lowes took on the project of revitalizing the pond.
“The project became bigger than what we originally planned,” said Minick of the work.
The project included a redesign of the pond, a walkway, rock edging and plantings.
Lowes employees through the Lowes Heroes program donated the materials and seven employees helped with the project.
Also Newberry firefighters worked in their free and off duty time on the pond area.
“This was done at no cost to the city,” said Minick.
“We made a 200 percent difference,” said Lowes employee Sandy Cromer.
The Lowes Heroes project works on one community project a year. Last year the project was doing plantings around the Newberry Opera House.
“We don’t know what next year’s project will be,” said Cromer.
The pond still lacks fish but the local firefighters hope the small pond will be stocked with fish in the next few weeks.
Minick says guest are welcome at the pond area any time and he plans on taking children touring the fire department to the pond during the tour.
Firefighters and city staff will also be working to keep the pond area maintained.
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