It was a little over two decades ago, during my first term as mayor, that Marathon’s City Council purchased the parcel at the top of 75th Street in Marathon. The Rotary Club of Marathon had brought the idea of a children’s park, the Field of Dreams, to the council. It was a fantastic idea, and soon after, through a lot of community involvement and hard work, the Rotary Children’s Park became a reality.
Rotarian Jane Daniels pushed hard to get this project happening; she had more than able assistance from Rita Rose, who spearheaded the brick sales that helped finance the project. So many other club members went all in on the project, far too many to name here. When it came time to build the park, the entire community came out in droves to, in the words of one Captain Picard, “Make it so.”
Some Rotarians and volunteers were “affected” by poisonwood during the clearing of the parcel – but they got better. Future City Manager Mike Puto was the grand poohbah of the construction event, while contractor and future council member and mayor Jeff Pinkus was the job foreman. A great mix of skilled and unskilled volunteers did the heavy lifting and built the park.
While I tended to the latter in terms of the volunteer skillset, Jeff Pinkus found out I could operate a chainsaw and had me cut creosote-soaked logs flush with the ground so that the swing sets could be anchored. I went through a lot of chains and chainsaws that day … and boy, were my arms (and everything else) tired.
Two really cool things happened: first, Marathon’s children got a very cool new park; second, my involvement with the project finally got me to join Rotary — a decision I’ve never regretted in the 20 years since.
Those 20 years, however, saw a lot of wear and tear on the park elements — so much so that the current council approved the total reconstruction of Rotary Park. Like before, the park’s design firm (Play By Design) took the redesign to the children of our community. And just like before, our local kids were the ones who came up with all the features in the new park plans.
We have a design, and construction time is once again upon us. The city’s Parks & Recreation department is asking for volunteers of all skill levels to come out and build our new park. Construction is scheduled to begin Monday, June 20 and go through Sunday, June 26. Parks & Rec Director Paul Davis has organized the volunteer process into four-hour shifts each day; adventurous volunteers can commit to an entire day if they choose.
Volunteers can also specify their skill level, from skilled at power tools to helping with food, childcare or general assistance. And the more the merrier — building this park was a blast for all of us those two decades ago. It is guaranteed to be a fun time with friends and neighbors, and the result will be a shining new park, constructed of materials designed to last longer and survive our harsh seaside summer climate.
If you can’t volunteer, there are still ways to help. There are opportunities to sponsor different elements of the park, as well as a chance to purchase a fence picket that can be personalized with your name. And if you are the owner of one of our fine local restaurants, food donations for the construction days will be gratefully accepted.
If you have questions, or would like to know more about how you can help rebuild our Field of Dreams, email wardj@ci.marathon.fl.us, or call the park office at 305-743-6598.
Two decades ago, our community came together to give our children a fantastic place to play. Kids who played in that park are now bringing their children to the same park. Be part of the legacy that will be our new Field of Dreams.
As an aside, if you are interested in finding out more about how the Rotary Club of Marathon works in our community (and has a whole lot of fun doing so), please join us for lunch at the Florida Keys Country Club — we meet each Wednesday at noon. Our big July 4th Beach Party and fundraiser is happening real soon, and we can use the help. Join us for lunch, and join us in building a better tomorrow!
– Catch John each Monday at Boondocks, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Key Colony Inn, and Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing. Find his music anywhere you download or stream your music. www.johnbartus.com
