Bill Brooks is working to bring awareness, along with upgrades, to the South Park Playground near the Clark Avenue area of St. Clairsville.
The playground, which currently consists of just a basketball court and a nearby walking trail, is under the auspices of the city’s recreation department.
Brooks has hosted multiple meetings of residents interested in adding to the offerings at the playground.
A girl scout troop recently stopped by to check out the grounds, spend time at the park, and come up with ideas how they could also use it.
Brooks is also a member of the Ohio Valley Black Heritage Festival committee, which is putting on its annual Ohio Valley Rib & Chicken Cook-Off in Wheeling this week.
The festival, slated for Friday and Saturday, will be featuring wrist bands for beer purchases. The committee has agreed to take the proceeds from the wristband sales and put them toward #StcPride for the purpose of purchasing playground equipment for the park.
“We need your support,” Brooks said via a Facebook post talking about the move. “Every cent raised will be used on the playground. We are in the process of setting up a bank account. Join us as it’s for the kids.”
The wristbands are only $1 apiece. The idea is to make sure those purchasing beer are of age, so once their identification and age has been verified by event staff, they will receive a wristband.
It generates funding for a good cause and saves festival goers having to continually fork over their identification to purchase beer.
“Some of the other festivals started it, and it’s a great idea,” Brooks said of the pre-check.
Bettering the Park, Town
Brooks noted 100 percent of the money from the wristband sale will go toward playground equipment for the park. To make sure that’s a reality, the #StCPride group is setting up a bank account to receive those donations.
One resident asked about the use of GoFundMe, as the online platform provides and easier donation format.
Brooks declined to use this option, as the platform takes a portion of the donations, as well as another portion once those donations are paid to the recipient.
“The only way we could say that every nickel donated goes to the park is to use the bank account,” Brooks said. “Because GoFundMe takes a portion, we could only say every nickel we receive. If you donate to GoFundMe, they take a portion when you donate, and again when you are paid the donated money.”
Brooks himself has agreed to donate large picnic benches to the park, in addition to all the organizing and leg work already undertaken. He’s also received a commitment from Ray Dobbs to level a spot for the picnic area if the city give’s its permission.
Grant funding will be necessary to fully resurface the basketball court, but Brooks believes that getting equipment for the playground, outfitting the picnic area, and providing multiple options for use at South Park is a real possibility in the near future.
The group is in talks with the Wheeling Park Commission to see if it has any available equipment. But Brooks also noted he’s priced equipment online and some of the used equipment is of high quality and relatively affordable.
The next meeting date for the group working to better the park will be upcoming and look to the St. Clairsville town Facebook group for more details and to get involved.
