Work at park nearly complete

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 23, 2001

VIDALIA, La. – Volunteers of a Vidalia-based nonprofit are putting the finishing touches on a park located behind Vidalia Junior High, according to the organization’s president.

Volunteers of the Concordia Youth & Adult Association have almost finished constructing a pavilion at the park, and should be completely finished with work on its interior in two weeks, said president Windell Millicks.

&uot;That building will have a kitchenette and restroom and could be used for any outdoor activities, from civic and family activities to kids’ field trips,&uot;&160;Millicks said.

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Volunteers are also finishing two baseball fields and a soccer and football field, which should be complete by the end of the summer, Millicks said.

Those fields could be used by the schools as well as by youth just looking for something to do on a weekend, members said. A walking track around the fields has already been finished.

&uot;We’re trying to provide recreation for children who don’t have anything to do on Friday and Saturday nights,&uot;&160;said Clarence Singleton, an association member who has worked with the park project since 1995.

&uot;We’ve got so many children who don’t have anything to do, and this causes unpleasant situations sometimes,&uot; he said. &uot;They need someplace to go.&uot;

The trail and pavilion have been constructed with the help of a $40,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Rural Development. In-kind work has been done by about five or six die-hard volunteers, Millicks said.

&uot;This is been in the works for some time, but it’s just a question of getting funds,&uot;&160;Singleton said. But as far as finishing the project is concerned, he said, &uot;We’re getting there.&uot;

The group is also expected to install a portable building at the site for use as an after-school tutoring center and meeting room.