Something new to celebrate 100 years

The sun beat down on Jeff Parmley’s head Tuesday as he hammered a new roof onto a Leadwood City Park structure he called “the water pavilion.”

Parmley, who in the spring had applied a new roof to the park’s main pavilion, was working on the latest project at the park in preparation for the city’s 100th anniversary celebration in October. The new roof shades a hand-cranked water pump near the main pavilion.

While Parmley hammered black roofing felt onto the plywood , Richard Davis stood on a ladder and eyeballed the material to make sure it remained in place.

In earlier projects, the city erected a new backstop and new bleachers on the baseball field. On Monday, city officials plan to review bids for the next phase of construction – concrete work on the pavilion floor, the gazebo and the dance floor in front of the gazebo.

The city’s goal is to completely renovate the park in time for the birthday celebration Oct. 7-9. Among the projects that remain are refilling cracks in the pavilion walls, creation of a wheelchair ramp from the pavilion to the road and installation of a new underground electrical system.

Businesses and individuals have pitched in to renovate the park by donating a total of $6,252.94 in funds, a new backstop, and other materials. The most recent donations include $250 from the Bank of the Leadbelt to be used for the city’s celebration. The city also received $2,000 in memory of Leadwood residents Reuben and Dorothy Poston and their late daughter Vicki Lynn Poston. The money is to be used for improvements to ready the park for the celebration, City Clerk Tonya Pitts said.

Also, a month-long fundraiser by Amy and Jason Keller wraps up this weekend. The Kellers, owners of JAK’s Convenience Mart on Hunt Street, volunteered to donate 5 percent of their inside sales each Sunday of the month toward restoration of the 1934 gazebo.

The city continues to seek volunteers to help with the celebration, cash donations, or Bradford Pear trees for the park. Leadwood also is seeking craft vendors for the Oct. 8 and 9 celebration. Cost is $20 for space for both days.

Craft vendors who would like a space for a booth at the Centennial Celebration should call Debbie Mahurin at 562-2908. Anyone interested in contributing to the celebration in some manner should call Pitt at 562-7125.