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BELHAVEN – Small Town Main Street is currently planning two projects to improve the caboose and surrounding area that resides in downtown Belhaven and turn it into the Caboose Public Garden.

“We have money in the small town fund for the caboose. The thinking is right now to build a roof of some type over the top of the caboose to prevent the sun from beating down on it and fading the paint job. We’re going to have to repair the paint job,” said Yvonne Deruiz, the Small Town Main Street Program Manager.

The budget for refurbishing the existing caboose is $9,000 and is going to be used to repair weathering on the exterior of the caboose to improve the overall appearance and ensure that further damage does not occur or is minimized.

In addition to the refurbishment of the caboose, Small Town Main Street is planning a landscape design contest for the surrounding area.

“We will solicit applications from local landscape designers to design a landscape in and around the caboose. We also have about $8,000 to do a landscaping project,” said Deruiz.

The designs will be judged by a panel of Belhaven residents and the winning designer will receive a $500 prize and the opportunity to have a small nameplate implemented within the design.

Applications will be available shortly and will include more information regarding the criteria of the design process. Both projects are approved by the Town of Belhaven and Small Town Main Street hopes to have them completed by late spring of 2021.