Jasonville planning community work day to install playground equipment

Wednesday, July 8, 2009
By Nick Schneider, Assistant Editor

Weather permitting, a community work day is planned for Saturday morning at the Jasonville City Park to erect new playground equipment and a skateboard area.

Jasonville Mayor Roy Terrell, Sr. said volunteers are welcome to assist with project. They can simply show up at 9:30 a.m. at the park, located on North Washington Street.

"The park has kind of got rundown over the years and we're trying to revitalize it. Being a life-long resident of Jasonville, I remember back when I was a kid, the park was one of the main focal points in town and that is where everybody went to do things. We kind of got away from that. We'd like to do some things down there to get people to come down there. We're going to promote some events," Terrell said.

A first step in that a process is the installation of the playground equipment and skateboard area.

The mayor told the Greene County Daily World that about $20,000 is available to spend through the city's budget -- including about $6,000 for the skateboard area.

About $6,000 has been raised in donations from business, organizations and individuals and the remainder will be taken out of city funds, the mayor explained.

Terrell pointed out that the city would be putting together some fundraisers in the near future to provide some cash to replenish the city's budget account.

Kyle Thompson, a representative from Kinetic Creations, in Indianapolis, where the playground equipment was purchased, will supervise Saturday's work detail.

Terrell said tools will be provided.

The first-term mayor said he is pleased the project is coming together.

He pointed out that it's been a partnership between the City Council, the Park Board as well as businesses and individuals who have donated to the project.

The improvements will include the installation of two metal picnic tables, new swings and three of the character riding toys. A skateboard area will also be constructed on the existing basketball courts. The basketball goals will be moved to the former tennis court area, according to Terrell.

"With the economy and the budget the way they are any more, it puts us in a stressful place to do anything. But we just can't let it (the park) continue to deteriorate. You have got to begin and do something," the mayor stressed.

In the event of rain, the work day will be rescheduled for 9:30 a.m. on July 19.

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This is great! My wife and I were just in the park today, and I was telling her that it looked really run down compared to what I remember when I was a child. I remember my mom taking me over there alot to play when I was younger, and it could still be a great little park with a little tlc.

-- Posted by Stewie on Wed, Jul 8, 2009, at 8:02 PM

This is a great thing but we need to start thinking about Hanna field. Everyone goes down there now and there is now playground at all for the kids and that is a shame.

-- Posted by shayne30w on Wed, Jul 8, 2009, at 9:53 PM

Hanna Field definitely needs some playground equipment. There are so many ball games played there in the summers and during homecoming that playground equipment would be a nice addition.

-- Posted by ISUgrad06 on Thu, Jul 9, 2009, at 6:57 AM

GOOD JOB TO MAYOR TERRELL AND THOSE WHO HELPED GET THIS PROJECT GOING. HANNA FIELD IS A BALL PARK AND LATER I COULD SEE SOME PLAYGROUD ITEMS OUT THERE . I FEEL THE CITY PARK SHOULD BE AND IS, FIRST IN LINE. WE LOVE OUR SMALL TOWN.

-- Posted by KOUNTRYLADY on Thu, Jul 9, 2009, at 7:27 AM

I no longer live in Jasonville, however, I'm disappointed every time I visit and see the park in such disarray. Hopefully they can find a use for the old tennis courts and basketball court. Maybe some batting cages or an RC track. Great job on getting the ball rolling for future changes. There is also funding for city parks through Kellogs cereal. Maybe they can look in to that. Now they just need to re-open the beach at shakamak and put the diving towers back up.

-- Posted by Wesley1 on Thu, Jul 9, 2009, at 2:15 PM

Well, that will never happen. The state makes too much money off the pool and it took YEARS to get that lake cleaned up enough to eat any kind of fish that came out of there.

Again, I am very happy that they are trying to improve the city park. Alot of good memories from there, both as a child playing there, and as a little leaguer playing ALOT of games during my summers.

-- Posted by Stewie on Fri, Jul 10, 2009, at 12:12 PM