A bust of Jay N. “Ding” Darling was placed at Lake Darling in 2014 for the park’s re-opening. The bust was crafted by Max Cast of Kalona. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

The television premiere of a documentary about efforts to revitalize Lake Darling in Washington County will be next weekend. “Darling is Back! The Restoration of Lake Darling” is a 30-minute documentary about local people working with state and federal groups to improve Lake Darling and bring it to where it stands today.

The park is named after two-time Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist and conservationist Jay N. Ding Darling. The documentary’s premiere was held live at Lake Darling in December. The man-made lake was established in 1950, but closed over 10 years ago due to contaminants in the water. It’s grand rededication was held in 2014.

The documentary will be on Iowa Public Television Sunday, April 17th at 1 p.m., Monday, April 25th at 10 p.m. and Thursday, April 28th at 6:30 p.m.