Replacement of the hail-damaged roof on the Maytag Park Caretakers House in Newton has temporarily closed the accessible parking drive and the entrance gate near the restrooms. City staff says park visitors should use the middle playground gate to enter the park, and notes the restrooms will remain open for most of the project, with a few brief closures.
The City of Newton is preserving the slate roofs on the Caretakers House and the West Shelter in Maytag Park, to keep the park’s National Historic Preservation District designation. The roof damage was the result of a May 7th, 2023 hail storm. The city received just one qualified quote. Renaissance Historic Exteriors in Rockford, Illinois, was awarded the work contract for the Caretakers House and the West Shelter. Their bid for the Maytag Caretakers House was $386,165, while the bid on the Maytag West Shelter was $95,234. According to Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler, Property Insurance Funds will pay for the repairs.
