Several years ago I was sitting in Larry Fetter’s office to get some background information on each of Hermiston’s parks for a story. It featured a short paragraph or two on each of the city’s parks.
There was one park I was not aware of – Northside Park on Spruce and Beech. Fetter said the park, at the time, wasn’t much – just a couple of pieces of worn-out playground equipment, an uninviting basketball hoop and a restroom facility. It was not the pride of Hermiston’s parks system and Fetter almost preferred I not mention in my story.
On Thursday evening, six years after my conversation with Fetter, the director of the Hermiston Parks and Recreation Department proudly proclaimed that the newly-renamed Greenwood Park was “now open!”
The small park, what Fetter calls a pocket park, received a major facelift recently with the help of the city, service clubs and the local neighborhood. Hermiston’s smallest park now has all new playground equipment including swings and a merry-go-round. The Hermiston Kiwanis Club built a shade structure and the Hermiston Lions Club donated benches and a trash receptacle. There are also separating walls, as well.
The park was renamed after its original founder, Greenwood Luster, whose granddaughter, Jackie Linton, lives across the street from the park. She spoke Thursday about the park’s humble beginnings.
“I think about 56 years ago when the park was first built,” she said. “It had a slide and swings and a teeter totter was added later. And now, I just want to thank everyone who helped make this happen.”
Hermiston Mayor Dave Drotzmann said the park represents the ideal of a community coming together for a good cause.
“This park needed a little loving care,” he said Thursday. “This is a community park developed by the community for the community.”
