MARION, Iowa — Marion’s newest pocket park is now open, offering a scenic stop along the Grant Wood Trail and honoring the city’s deep railroad roots — and one of the people who helped preserve them.
Community members gathered Monday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Draper Park, located just south of the American Legion at 625 31st Street SE. The park brings together elements of local history, natural beauty and public space — and it carries the name of someone who made that vision possible.
The park is named after Paul Draper, who served on the Marion City Council from 2012 to 2020. Draper was widely known as a tireless advocate for community development and a strong supporter of preserving Marion’s railroad history…