▁Gas ▁Company , ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 . ▁The ▁initial ▁don ation ▁included ▁, ▁but ▁the ▁couple ▁subsequently ▁purchased ▁and ▁don ated ▁additional ▁parc els ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁ 2 1 2 - acre ▁park ▁that ▁exists ▁today . ▁ ▁C og g sh all ▁Park ▁also ▁ab uts ▁a ▁large ▁par cel ▁of ▁conservation ▁land ▁and ▁a ▁bird ▁san ctu ary , ▁providing ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁approximately ▁ ▁for ▁visitors ▁to ▁enjoy . ▁ ▁The ▁Fri ends ▁of ▁C og g sh all ▁Park ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁when ▁approximately ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁in ▁state ▁and ▁federal ▁funds ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁renov ate ▁the ▁park . ▁Since ▁the ▁group ' s ▁found ing , ▁the ▁Fri ends ▁have ▁contributed ▁significantly ▁to ▁the ▁up keep ▁and ▁beaut ification ▁of ▁C og g sh all ▁Park . ▁Ann ual ▁spring ▁clean - up ▁projects , ▁to ▁which ▁the ▁Fri ends ▁contribute ▁both ▁volunte er ▁labor ▁and ▁supplies ▁( including ▁more ▁than ▁ 6 0 ▁yards ▁of ▁mul ch ▁each ▁year ), ▁ensure ▁the ▁park ' s ▁land sc aping ▁remains ▁well - ke pt . ▁Other ▁invest ments ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁Fri ends ▁have ▁been ▁even ▁more ▁significant , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁f ount ain ▁for ▁Mir ror ▁Lake ▁and ▁a ▁special ized ▁off - road ▁fire f ight ing ▁vehicle ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁C og g sh all ▁or ▁elsewhere ▁around ▁the ▁city ▁as ▁needed . ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics