New shelter and restrooms, multi-sport court, and playground planned
Riva Sharples | Editor
When the ambitious park revitalization project is completed at Alcester’s Herb Anderson Park, the town will have an amazing park and pool facility, one that rivals any big city town.
That’s the hope of volunteers and community members who have spent countless hours planning the multi-phase project. When fully completed, in some 15 years or so, the park and pool will be a totally renovated, landscaped, and state-of-the-art space for play and relaxation. The total cost, including with a new pool facility, will be somewhere in the range of $6-8 million by the time it is all complete.
That’s quite a mountain to climb, but area volunteers are confident that it can be done through a series of phases over the next decade and a half.
The master plan for the park, in the works for the past year, is now completed, and a contract, currently under review with the attorneys, has been made with Norman Engineering, which will be handling phase one of the project.
“We hope that engineering work will begin in the spring,” said Dave Hodgson, Alcester City Finance Officer and a member of the revitalization committee.
Phase one, which will cost about $900,000, will concentrate on the center of the park, installing a new playground, a multi-sport court that will accommodate pickleball as well as basketball and possibly other sports, and a new picnic shelter with restrooms.
“It’s going to take a lot of fundraising,” admits Hodgson. “But this is something that will greatly benefit the community now and into the future.”
So far, the Park Revitalization Committee has raised $50,000 for phase one. The committee is actively pursuing grants. They are also looking for donors who might be interested in making contributions large enough to secure naming rights for different areas of the park.
Alcester’s park is named after Herb Anderson, a local farmer who cared for the park in the 1940s and 1950s. The park was originally built in the 1930s by WPA workers and World War I veterans. After retiring from farming, Anderson moved across the street from the park and took it under his wing. He wanted a clean park where area kids could play, and he spent years mowing and trimming it. He passed away in 1953 and the park was dedicated in his name later.
Phase one of this project, depending on how fast grants and fundraising happens, is estimated to take between two to three years to complete. Once completed, additional phases will include projects to revamp camping spaces, improve parking, provide a new access road, make landscaping improvements, enhance the veterans’ and community foundation memorials, and, down the road, build a new swimming complex.
Other possible enhancements are in the idea phase as well, like including outdoor musical pieces in the park in honor of DeeCort Hammitt, who wrote the South Dakota song, “Hail South Dakota,” and has ties to Alcester.
Alcester’s park is a real asset – it just needs a little clean-up and enhancement, says one resident who has been working on cleaning up trees in the park lately with other volunteers.
“People need to know how nice our little park can be,” he said.
The park is worth saving and investing in, many agree.
“As a cornerstone of our community, the park has long been a place where families gather, children play, and friendships grow,” said committee members. “To ensure it remains a vibrant and welcoming space for generations to come, we are undertaking this comprehensive renewal that will bring the park into the 21st century.”