THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 21, 1996 TAG: 9606190118
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 120 lines
THE DEDICATION of Fountain Park in Port Norfolk on Saturday will celebrate a neighborhood project that has involved hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars.
The ``new'' park is not exactly new. It has been on the maps of Port Norfolk for more than 100 years.
Fountain Park was marked clearly on a survey map of Port Norfolk in 1890 and again in 1903 and 1907.
Over the past 100 years the large plot of land - about three acres - has functioned as a park of one sort or another, according to Madlyn Morris Grimes of the Port Norfolk Civic League.
Grimes, who grew up in the area almost 50 years ago, said she remembers it from her childhood and says she later played softball there.
``There used to be bleachers over by the ballfield, and it was lighted at one time,'' she said. ``The women's softball teams were known as the Firemen's League.''
Later, the field was used by youth teams, and it now functions only as a practice field. The bleachers and lights have been removed.
Years ago, in addition to a fountain, a gazebo graced the grounds and bands regularly appeared there on weekend evenings.
Most recently, in addition to the baseball practice area in one far corner, the park has had a swing set on the side closest to Broad Street and an asphalt basketball court with two goals.
The basketball hoops have been removed because of the vandalism that accompanied the drinking and loitering around the area. In fact, the group working on the park has spent a lot of energy trying to scrub out graffiti on the asphalt and from trees and markers.
Over the past several weeks volunteers have been scurrying to get everything done for Saturday.
``The plan has been in process for a year, but we didn't start the work here until April,'' Millie Lomax, chairman of the park committee, said Monday.
On the same day, a new Port Norfolk resident, T.J. Crain, was going to start laying the brick and preparing the place for a new self-contained fountain that will be the park's centerpiece. The fountain, which will recycle water, will be purchased with contributions.
On Monday, Lomax was especially happy to find a city crew putting in a water line to the park for use in watering plants and trees. A city employee handed her a key and explained how to turn the water on and off.
``We've been hauling barrels of water from the well of a man who lives down the street,'' she said.
Most of the trees and flowers have been donated.
Two willow oaks came from the downtown waterfront, where High Street Landing is replacing Veterans Park. They were transported to Port Norfolk by Tidewater Construction, the company working on the inlet.
A piece of playground equipment, featuring slides for toddlers, was rescued from a city storage area and re-assembled by Port Norfolk residents.
Lomax said the equipment was moved from the area when the city took some of the park land to build a new water tower. In addition, the committee hopes to raise enough money to buy a $10,000 piece of equipment that will accommodate larger children.
The volunteers dug out a large area around the existing equipment and the swings, and filled it with sand.
``We dug it deep enough to make a nice soft, safe sandy area, so we hope nobody will get hurt if they fall off,'' Grimes said.
In addition, paths were dug, then filled with wood chips that came from the city. Another batch of mulch to go into a large flower bed came from Norfolk, Grimes said.
The plants were donated and the work done by gardeners from the neighborhood.
``One day we came by here and there were eight or 10 azaleas somebody dug up and left here,'' Grimes said. ``So we got a group to come over and plant them.''
A day later, K-Plus Landscaping called and said it had dropped off the azaleas and planned to come back and plant them.
``But when they came back, we already had them in the ground,'' Grimes said.
The azaleas will be around a sign that will list the names of all the people who have donated either money or in-kind services to the park.
At least 20 park benches will be placed there, with plaques to identify the donor and persons honored by the gift.
``Tommy Heath over at Norfolk County Feed and Seed worked with us to get the benches, and we are able to get them for a $25 donation,'' Lomax said. ``We started out trying to get 15, and when we got to 16, there were still people who wanted to donate them in honor or in memory of someone, so we're going ahead. There's plenty of space here for benches.''
A heavy cement picnic table was donated by a resident.
``We won't have to worry about that disappearing,'' Grimes said.
Grimes said the response of the neighborhood residents and businesses, as well as businesses and organization in other parts of the city, has been ``wonderful.''
Children in the neighborhood have helped with cleaning and with planting.
In addition, the volunteers have gotten some help from both male and female work crews from the City Jail and from a juvenile group shepherded by Port Norfolk NEAT Officer Matt Cratcher.
So far, more than $5,000 in cash has been donated toward a goal of $10,000.
The cash has come from many places, including McCarty's Wheel Shop and the Chesapeake Bay Diving Center, two neighborhood businesses that made sizable donations.
Port Norfolk Elementary School students had a ``penny harvest'' and produced $70.10 in pennies.
``That's 7,010 pennies, and I counted every one of them,'' Lomax said. ``The children collected that many in about a week.''
In addition, Port Norfolk Principal Barbara Jones-Smith gave money for a bench in honor of the students.
``This really has been a cooperative project between the neighborhood and the city,'' Grimes said. ``And so many other people have participated to make it work. You know, people pass and see us working and come back to help us.'' MEMO: AT A GLANCE
What: Fountain Park Dedication Festival.
Where: 600 block of Broad Street in Port Norfolk Historic District.
When: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
What: Dedication ceremony at 11:30 a.m.; music by New Horizons choral
group of Hampton at noon; music by Just Us Jazz Ensemble of Hunt-Mapp
School at 1 p.m.; children's games, silent auction, raffle, putt-putt;
sale of pork barbecue plates and commemorative T-shirts to benefit the
park. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Leslie Lomax, 4 1/2, gives the swings in Fountain Park a workout.
Volunteers filled the area around the swings and other equipment for
soft landings. by CNB