Several months ago, the friendly confines of Niles’ Arthur Dodd Park were anything but welcoming to visitors.

Following the massive windstorm that ripped through the region at the beginning of March, the grounds of the riverside park became a jumbled mess of fallen trees and foliage. Worst of all, one of the park’s patio shelters caved in due to the damage the high winds inflicted on the property.

Thanks to the efforts of the Cass County Parks and Recreation Department and private contractors over the last several months, the local park is almost ready for its big comeback.

Construction on the new improvements to Dodd Park, located at 61437 Creek Road in Pokagon Township, is around 75 percent complete, said Cass County Parks Director Scott Wyman. Work on the pair of riverside cabins is nearly complete, while work is progressing rapidly on the remaining tasks for the new handicap-accessible bridge and canoe launch.

“Where we were in the past and where we are now is like night and day,” Wyman said about the progress of the park this year.

The project includes a host of improvements to the park grounds, which contain 90 percent of the public accessibly land adjacent to the Dowagiac River. Among them are the installation of two new cabins, waterless bathrooms, a canoe/kayak launch, a wooden bridge spanning a portion of the river flowing through the park and an expanded parking lot.

The county is funding the construction through a $375,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund. The state will pitch in around 74 percent of the total costs, while the county will pick up the rest of the tab.

Contractors have finished most of the work on the bridge and canoe launch, which are connected together, as well as the concrete paths leading up to them. The largest remaining task is building the transitional deck between the launch and the bridge, which is sloped at a gradual angle for visitors in wheelchairs, Wyman said.

“That is the whole idea of the project, to allow people with mobility issues to be able to get down to the water safely,” he said. “We want this park to be something everyone can enjoy.”

Work on the cabins is mostly complete as well. Crews have finished painting the structures as well as installing picnic tables, a grill and fire ring for guests. Once the electrical inspector approves the cabins, members of the parks department will install furnishings for the inside.

While contractors worked on the heavy-duty tasks, Wyman and volunteers have steadily cleaned up the damage from the spring storm.

“We are just trying to make Dodd Park as beautiful as it once was,” he said.

The parks director expects construction to wrap up by mid to late September. The department expects to host an open house to showcase Dodd’s new amenities to the public in early October, Wyman said.

“Everyone is excited: we are excited, and the public is excited,” he said. “We are ready to get this project wrapped up 100 percent, and to move onto the next one.”