Line Street Park gaining more foot traffic
By LINDSEY ZILIAK
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7419 or ziliakl@courierpress.com
Friday, November 14, 2008
Line Street Park, which used to be in poor condition and seldom was used, is now "the centerpiece of the community," said the Rev. Marcus Watkins of the Line Street Church of Christ.
Several months ago, the small city park was refurbished. The Line Street Church of Christ, Keep Evansville Beautiful, Integra Bank, the Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation and Teamsters Local 215 partnered to give the park a makeover.
The volunteers planted flowers, replaced old equipment, picked up sticks and litter and painted a mural on a shelter house that once was covered with graffiti.
"It was a 180-degree turnaround," Watkins said.
Since the completion of the project, Watkins said he's seen a decrease in vandalism and the number of people loitering, both of which were problems.
Ann Ennis, director of Keep Evansville Beautiful, said she's been to the park several times in the past month.
"One of the times I walked through it, I was just tickled that it still looked good. It's working," Ennis said.
Watkins added that the park is being used more frequently. He said families were hesitant to visit the park before.
"And some of the local child care centers use (the park) on a daily basis," Watkins said.
The Line Street Church of Christ also will use the park for some of its church functions.
The church's youth groups help maintain the park by picking up litter once a week. Ennis said it's the Department of Parks and Recreation's job to repair or replace equipment.
Ennis was the one who spearheaded the project, watching the project from start to finish. She received a letter from the Department of Natural Resources in July of 2006 discussing the poor state of all of Evansville's small city parks.
She said that the neighborhood around Line Street Park was interested in revamping its park, so she started monitoring it.
Without money, however, the project couldn't be completed. Ennis said Keep Evansville Beautiful is a nonprofit organization, so it relies on donations.
Ennis said that's what made this project unusual. There was an abundance of people donating time and businesses donating money.
She said she would like to revitalize other parks, but at the moment the organization can't fund it.
"There are two parks in particular that we've been made aware of that would be interested," Ennis said.
Of the Line Street Park project, Ennis said, "It was the coolest project. It's an incredible neighborhood."
By LINDSEY ZILIAK
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7419 or ziliakl@courierpress.com
Friday, November 14, 2008
Line Street Park, which used to be in poor condition and seldom was used, is now "the centerpiece of the community," said the Rev. Marcus Watkins of the Line Street Church of Christ.
Several months ago, the small city park was refurbished. The Line Street Church of Christ, Keep Evansville Beautiful, Integra Bank, the Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation and Teamsters Local 215 partnered to give the park a makeover.
The volunteers planted flowers, replaced old equipment, picked up sticks and litter and painted a mural on a shelter house that once was covered with graffiti.
"It was a 180-degree turnaround," Watkins said.
Since the completion of the project, Watkins said he's seen a decrease in vandalism and the number of people loitering, both of which were problems.
Ann Ennis, director of Keep Evansville Beautiful, said she's been to the park several times in the past month.
"One of the times I walked through it, I was just tickled that it still looked good. It's working," Ennis said.
Watkins added that the park is being used more frequently. He said families were hesitant to visit the park before.
"And some of the local child care centers use (the park) on a daily basis," Watkins said.
The Line Street Church of Christ also will use the park for some of its church functions.
The church's youth groups help maintain the park by picking up litter once a week. Ennis said it's the Department of Parks and Recreation's job to repair or replace equipment.
Ennis was the one who spearheaded the project, watching the project from start to finish. She received a letter from the Department of Natural Resources in July of 2006 discussing the poor state of all of Evansville's small city parks.
She said that the neighborhood around Line Street Park was interested in revamping its park, so she started monitoring it.
Without money, however, the project couldn't be completed. Ennis said Keep Evansville Beautiful is a nonprofit organization, so it relies on donations.
Ennis said that's what made this project unusual. There was an abundance of people donating time and businesses donating money.
She said she would like to revitalize other parks, but at the moment the organization can't fund it.
"There are two parks in particular that we've been made aware of that would be interested," Ennis said.
Of the Line Street Park project, Ennis said, "It was the coolest project. It's an incredible neighborhood."
Comments