Members of the National Guard have been training and working in the Freedom Park area east of Junction City in recent days. Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director Michelle Stimatze said they have completed concrete work around the site of the Atomic Annie cannon on the Freedom Park hill overlooking Marshall Army Airfield and I-70. She also noted that the National Guard was moving dirt on Monday and will complete their training exercise on Tuesday.

Stimatze described the improvements. “They’ve poured a concrete pad around Atomic Annie which is good because we really want to get that cannon repainted and then do some other upgrades in that area.”

More work will need to be completed by others to get the cannon repainted, clean up of the area and walking trails put in before winter begins. Stimatze said the CVB will reach out to an organization that works on projects of this type to see if there can be a partnership, and if not there would probably be others locally who could provide assistance.

There is also a goal to also clean up the park area at the bottom of the hill. “We’re taking some of the shrubbery that’s not in good shape out. All the signage will come down, new signage will be put up. The concrete patio equipment down there will be repainted.”