Sparta Taking Next Steps To Spruce Up Caboose And Prep For New Paint Job

City of Sparta taking next steps on plans to refurbish its caboose located by the cemetery behind the old jail.

Mayor Jerry Lowery said it was donated to the city many years ago, and has been sitting without much work done on it. He said it has been a goal to try and find someone to help spruce it up for some time.

“And we’re going to make it really nice around there and make it a nice photo op for people to come to Sparta and take pictures with it and things like that,” Lowery said. “So we moving with that as well.”

Lowery said the board of aldermen approved a quote for $5,250 to sandblast and prime the caboose to paint. He said the next steps would be to decide on a color scheme to repaint the caboose with.

Lowery said the ultimate goal is to eventually turn the caboose area into a place that can become a community hangout. He said he would like to see picnic tables around with a food truck area.

“And then one of my dreams is to have a big flag up there somewhere close where you come down the hill there across the bridge where you see the caboose, a big flag, some picnic areas and things like that and make it a spot where people can go and relax, maybe eat dinner,” Lowery said. “It attaches right next to our walking trail so it’ll be right involved in all of that so you’ll be walking past that as you’re walking some of the sidewalks and trails that we have already.”