I took a ride around Freeport Community Park in June. The last time I did that, many years ago, I was shocked and very sad at what I saw. The once beautiful park was overgrown with weeds; the tennis and basketball courts were in terrible condition. The stonework lining the driveway to the park was broken, and the picnic pavilions looked horrible.
Back in the mid-’60s, the park crew and Leri Brothers’ bricklayers and laborers turned the park into one of the best public parks in the area, building Laube Hall, the stone pavilion and the baseball dugout. Restrooms and tennis and basketball courts were built. In the winter, water was poured for ice skating. Many of us remember the airplane, caboose and rocketship, and took at least one ride on the train that took riders around the whole park.
What a wonderful surprise it was as I drove around the park this summer. The tennis and basketball courts look brand new, as does the pavilion. The new playground equipment, baseball and soccer fields, driveway and directional signs are great. Everyone should visit the memorial dedicated to loved ones who have passed away (my 12-year-old cousin’s name is there).
I was so happy to read about the $240,000 grant for the park (“Freeport Community park gets $240K state grant,” Sept. 17, TribLIVE). All of the improvements so far have been done by volunteers and fundraising. I appreciate all of the hard work they have done. It is a wonderful, beautiful place to visit again.
Sandy Powell
Freeport