Wearing blue hardhats and holding colorful shovels, children from the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City broke ground Tuesday at Community Park, signifying the start of much-needed improvements.
Sircal Contracting will begin making several improvements, including adding a sprayground, playground equipment, tot area featuring mounded hill slides and climbing structures, picnic tables, restrooms, on-site parking and sculptures educating visitors about The Foot District - Jefferson City's once black business and residential district along Lafayette Street between East Dunklin and Miller streets.
The Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department hopes to open Community Park, at 725 Marshall St., in November.
The total estimated cost for the park improvements is $2.5 million-$3.5 million, Park officials said.
Denise Chapel, Jefferson City Parks and Recreation commissioner, said residents asked for Community Park improvements for years, and it was time the Parks commission and department to answer those requests.
"For decades, this park has been a promise unfulfilled," Chapel said. "Generations have come and gone without a proper acknowledgement that they wanted more and deserve more. Today is a new day, full of hope and a dream fulfilled."
Brad Bates, Parks and Recreation commission president, said Community Park is a "park in name only," adding there were "no redeeming qualities that make it a park." The improvements will change that, he said.
About 11,000 people live within a 1-mile radius of Community Park, Bates said, meaning there are many children and families this park could serve. This includes children attending the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City, whose drumline performed during the groundbreaking ceremony.
As a child, Jefferson City resident Janet Khaleel remembers going to a small park with a community swimming pool. She said she is glad children in the area will have the opportunity to experience a sprayground and playground.
"I'm glad that they're building something for the younger kids because there's a lot of youths around here who don't have a place to go," she said.
Community Park is listed as the first priority in the parks master plan, a 20-year outline for improvements in the parks system.
The groundbreaking was originally scheduled for last week, but Parks staff postponed it due to inclement weather.