CONNEAUT LAKE — Just 15 more bricks at $100 each must be sold to order the materials necessary to get Conneaut Lake Park’s miniature train back on track this year.

As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser had reached $12,950, or 23 percent of the total $56,00 needed for materials and labor, according to Carol West, treasurer of the Conneaut Lake Institute, which is heading the effort.

Although the total cost is $56,000, the park needs only $14,466 to order all the materials.

Once the final material — the wood for the ties — is ordered, it will take three or four weeks for it to be received, said the park’s general manager, George Deshner. The spikes and rail are already on order.

He said plans to have the train back on track by Memorial Day probably won’t happen, so he now is shooting for the July 4 weekend. The problem is that all materials must be paid for in advance, meaning until the money is in the bank, materials can’t be ordered. And, with a month turnaround time for materials to be delivered, work probably won’t begin much before Memorial Day.

The bricks can include three lines of 20 characters. Larger ones can be ordered for $200 with six lines of type. Bricks will be engraved and set up in a display at the miniature train complex.

For those unable to pay $100, containers have been placed in various businesses throughout Crawford County by the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society. When $100 is reached, the business can designate a message, such as “Customers of KFC of Conneaut Lake.”

That business has already raised enough for one brick and is working on a second one, said Gail Fales, chairman of the campaign.

Deshner said other work is proceeding on schedule, including preparing rides for opening day on Memorial Day weekend.

In addition, work on the sprinkler system at Hotel Conneaut is proceeding well and he expects it to be done so the hotel can open by the middle of next week.

The sprinkler system had to be renovated to meet state regulations.

Jane Smith can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at jsmith@meadvilletribune.com

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