Community Success Stories

Leonardville

Enrolled in PRIDE 1985-1992; 1995; 1997; 2001; 2007-2010

Walking Trail and City Park Renovation

In 2009, the Leonardville PRIDE group decided it was time to talk about renovating our city park. The playground equipment was very outdated and it was time for change. We regularly host events for our community members, but felt it was time to do something more permanent for our community to enjoy. We formed a city park renovation committee and developed a three phase process for completion of the park renovation. Phase I includes a walking trail, signage, and benches, Phase II a fenced-in kiddie park for children ages 2-5, and Phase III new equipment for children ages 5-12 and replacement of outdated playground equipment.

To help fund our project, we asked the Leonardville City Council for assistance. Each year, the Riley County Parks Department gives funding to parks in Riley County through each town’s city council. The City of Leonardville was awarded funds for the renovation of our park and the Leonardville PRIDE members went to work!

Leonardville PRIDE hosted a couple of fund raising events for the city park renovation. On April 10th we had a breakfast fund raiser and served biscuits and gravy and scrambled eggs. The day was quite successful with all proceeds going toward the city park renovation. We also had several generous community members make monetary donations. On June 17 and 18, we hosted a benefit softball tournament and community BBQ again with proceeds going toward the city park. We hope to solicit additional donations at our annual Hullabaloo celebration on August 13-15, 2010.

In the spring of 2010, we began working on the walking trail by digging approximately about 4 inches deep and 5 feet wide with skid loaders and a tractor with a rototiller. PRIDE members and community members volunteered their time and equipment. The City of Leonardville also donated their dump truck to haul away excess dirt from the trail. Once the trail was dug, it was time to order the limestone screening from Bayer’s Construction. Their generosity was overwhelming when they donated over 150 tons of limestone screening needed for our walking trail. In addition to their generosity, we also had community members volunteer their time and dump trucks to haul the screening from Bayer’s to the city park. Volunteers spread the screening in the trail, raked and leveled it and our only cost was fuel for the skid loader and tractor. Once we had all of the limestone screening in the trail, the Riley County Parks Department assisted us with rolling and leveling the trail. We will put up signage around the park and a few park benches and our trail will be complete.

With most of the materials and time being donated for the walking trail, we are now able to use the Riley County Parks Department funds to purchase the kiddie park for Phase II of our renovation. We hope to have this installed by September or October of this year.

This fall 2010, we plan to write grants to begin Phase III for the larger equipment for the 5-12 year olds. We will be obtaining grant writing assistance from the Riley County Extension Office. This final phase will be completed by summer or fall, 2011.

There will be a walking trail dedication during our Hullabaloo celebration on August 14th. We want to make this a special day to thank everyone who helped us fund, create and build the walking trail.

The walking trail and new playground equipment will bring in adults and children of all ages to continue to make the Leonardville City Park a great place to play, increase fitness awareness, bring families together for picnics and reunions, and to help sustain our rural community of Leonardville!!

Leonardville Hullabaloo

On August 13-15, Leonardville PRIDE will host its annual Hullabaloo celebration. The activities will kick-off on Friday night with a softball tournament which begins at 6:00 p.m. and runs for 24 hours. Our activities on Saturday, August 14th, include continuation of the softball tournament, golf tournament, town-wide garage sales, black powder shoot, train rides for kids, Lions Club pancake feed, turtle races, mud bog, vintage car and antique tractor shows, walking trail dedication, American Legion Auxiliary surprise bags, kids “sanctioned” tractor pull, cake walk, ice cream social, kids karaoke, local dancers, parade, and street dance. On Sunday, August 15th, the Leonardville Methodist Church will host a community church service with a pot luck meal immediately following.

For more information and a complete list of activities during the Hullabaloo, please visit our website by CLICKING HERE:
 

To learn more about Leonardville, CLICK HERE to view their community website!


 

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