THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610020125
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 47 lines
Fun Forest, the children's playground built at Chesapeake City Park by volunteers, has opened several new features, including a fossil dig area, a playground with an aquatic theme, a parking lot, public restrooms and a concessions stand.
A ceremony on Sept. 21 dedicated the new fossil area and aquatic playground in memory of Frank E. Young and John R. Hudgins Jr., two Chesapeake firefighters who lost their lives while on duty.
The fossil area is a large sandbox with plaster re-creations of extinct dinosaur fossils buried in the sand. The neighboring aquatic area is a small section of park featuring sculpted whale tails sticking out of the ground, a red-mouthed shark and two sea turtles for youngsters to crawl over and play on.
Mayor William E. Ward and Chesapeake Parks and Recreation director Claire Askew attended the dedication ceremony. Also present were Ernest Trueblood, minister at the Parkway Temple; John Cali, president of the Fun Forest advisory board; John Oliphant, advisory board member and part of the projects's core committee; and Carol Rodenbaugh, general coordinator of Fun Forest's phase II project.
A history wall, created by Dr. Hugo Owens and Elizabeth Hanbury, was also unveiled. The wall features eight paintings created by art teachers in the Chesapeake Public School system depicting the city's history from earliest times all the way to the building of the new city hall and Fun Forest.
Girl Scouts and Brownies from the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast were on hand to present the colors, conduct the pledge to the flag and hand out programs.
``It was a nice ceremony. I think the dedication to the fallen firefighters is a fitting way to honor these men for giving up their lives in service of their city,'' Rodenbaugh said.
She said that after the ceremony, Chesapeake Parks and Recreation staffers handed out small shovels and pails to all in attendance, young and old alike, so all could romp and play in the park's fossil dig area.
To finally complete phase II of the park project, Rodenbaugh said her volunteers will install 12 additional swings, six for toddlers and six for bigger children to enjoy. MEMO: Hand tiles can be purchased for $25 or T-shirts for $5 to help
finance completion of the Fun Forest project. More information is
available by calling Carol Rodenbaugh at 482-4397. by CNB