CAIRO — Southern Terrace Park will be closed indefinitely as city workers prepare for a $400,000 improvement project.

City Manager Chris Addleton said at last week’s meeting of the Cairo City Council that work crews will begin removing trees from the park as part of the first step in constructing a retention pond to alleviate flooding on the west side of 1st Street and to make room for the development of a new walking trail and pavilion.

City council members approved a resolution earlier last year in support of a grant application to the state Department of Natural Resources to develop a walking trail at Southern Terrace Park. Council members also purchased a vacant 2.62-acre tract bordering the existing park for $37,000 to construct the trail, which would likely be about one half-mile in length and would circle around the park.

The project is funded in part by a $200,000 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources. The remaining $200,000 will be contributed by the city through special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) revenues.