Ribbon-cutting ceremony to be held for Corby Pond renovations

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The completed Corby Pond renovations will be celebrated at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11, at 2202 Corby Parkway.

A new shelter and restroom building are the latest additions to the pond area, which has been undergoing extensive improvements since 2022.

The pond was completely drained and excavated by the city's public works department to improve its stormwater collection capability, and the new docks and fountains were also added.

About $373,000 in funding came from a combination of a grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the City of St. Joseph's Capital Improvements Program for a new shelter and restroom building.

The new shelter is 20-by-40 and is suitable for gatherings and educational events. The new restroom building replaces a facility built in the 1950s.

In addition to the ribbon cutting, the Missouri Department of Conservation will have a free "Unwind Like a Caveman" event at the pond, lasting until 8 p.m.

The MDC will have a discussion about the early history of how humans cared for mental health, local Scouts will give lessons on starting a fire and the conservation department will have fishing poles available fr the public to use at the pond.

The public can bring their own fishing equipment, and regular fishing rules will apply.

Additionally, the wider Corby Grove Complex is set to see the addition of eight new pickleball courts where a tennis facility once stood.

The $796,000 project was approved at the St. Joseph City Council at its Monday, Aug. 4 meeting, and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2026 using CIP and parks tax funds.