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Rock County Commissioners recently accepted a $250,000 donation to fix leaks in the county courthouse tunnel.
The underground tunnel connects the Rock County Veterans Memorial Building with the courthouse. Water has been infiltrating the membrane-lined tunnel and damaging the interior walls and ceilings.
The K.A.H.R. Foundation granted the year-end donation for the repairs.
“This is certainly a nice gift,” said County Administrator Kyle Oldre. “It’s much appreciated.”
The $250,000 is the contractor’s estimate to fix the leaks that are caused by water pooling on the Kahler Terrace and leaking into the Herreid Annex located underneath the terrace.
The terrace’s surface will be replaced, and its edges will be rounded to allow water to more easily flow off.
Repairs to the tunnel involve removing all the vegetation and soil around the tunnel on the north side of the courthouse.
The repair work won’t affect the building entrance or disturb the recent reconstruction of the courthouse entrance stairs.
The tunnel is scheduled to be uncovered late July or early August.
The tunnel will be left exposed to sufficiently dry the ground before rewrapping and waterproofing the tunnel.
Once complete, the tunnel will be covered and the area re-landscaped.
The tunnel was part of a $4 million project to remodel the former sheriff’s office and jail into the new offices for the Luverne Area Chamber, Brandenburg Gallery and veterans museum. The project was dedicated in 2009.
A small conference room called the Herreid Annex was constructed under the Kahler Terrace along with a kitchenette and storage area.
A tunnel connects the lower level of the gallery to the Herreid Conference Room, where the county commissioners convene their twice-monthly board meetings.
There are bathrooms and storage rooms along the tunnel area.