The Healdsburg community has a long history of banding together
to support causes, volunteer on local projects and just generally
get things done that would normally clog the wheel of bureaucracy
if the city were to try to go at it alone.
This is true of the Carson Memorial Skate Park, the Healdsburg
Little League building, the renovation of the Healdsburg museum, as
well as the construction of the new gazebo at Plaza Park a few
years ago. Community organizers raised money, then raised the new
gazebo at Plaza Park from the ground up when the old gazebo was
proven to be too small and inefficient for public use. Volunteers
rallied the troops for donations, and then got local contractors to
give their time, energy and expertise to construct the
building.
And next in line for the community … a complete renovation of
the grandstands at Recreation Park.
In much the same vein of these other community projects, a
similar group of residents has started raising money and have plans
to renovate the large green grandstands building at the city’s
most-used park.
“By upgrading the grandstands, while preserving their historic
nature, we hope to increase access and make it more functional and
attractive to all members of the community,” said Ray Holley,
community activist and Tribune columnist who is involved in the
Recreation Park Grandstand Renovation Committee.
The project is being spearheaded by members of Healdsburg Little
League, including HLL board president Dave Miller, local winery
owner John Holdredge and Holley.
Jerry Eddinger and Nancy Madarus of Eddinger Enterprises will be
leading the construction phase of the project and will be working
with both local contractors and volunteers to complete the job.
Many improvements will be made to the structure, including
seismic retrofit, the installation of a fire sprinkler irrigation
system, increased ADA accessibility and the installation of braced
steel frames. New roofing will be installed and a new nylon mesh
system will take the place of the old chain link fence that fronts
the grandstands, damaged seating will be repaired, exterior siding
will be replaced and a major electrical upgrade will take
place.
In short, the grandstands will get a facelift.
“This is a story of community involvement, civic pride, small
town charm, a legacy of volunteerism, and of course, the love of
the game,” Holley said.
The grandstands are more than just an old set of bleachers to
area sports fans, Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair
supporters, local old-timers and a number of user groups that rely
on the structure.
The park began to be used for baseball in 1923, when four acres
at the corner of University and Piper was purchased for nearly
$3,000. Over the next few years, volunteers built the grandstands
using borrowed money and lumber that was salvaged when the Cotati
Speedway was torn down. Recreation Park was owned by a citizens
group until 1927, when it was signed over to the city.
About the same time, the Prune Packers, a semi-pro baseball team
based in Healdsburg started. Later, the Oddfellows also fielded a
local team.
From 1948 to 1977, the Healdsburg Lighting Committee, “a large
group of public-spirited citizens,” took over management of the
park after a successful fund-raising drive that allowed them to
install lighting for evening games. Thirty-two men served on the
committee over its lifetime. The Lighting Committee managed the
park for almost 30 years, handing it back to the city in 1977.
According to Clarence Ruonavaara, who was a member of the Prune
Packers, coached baseball and was later a member of the Lighting
Committee, in Healdsburg and especially at Rec Park, “it used to be
baseball or nothing.”
“There are many uses now, and the covered grandstands are truly
a treasure,” he said.
Friday evening, as the Headsburg High School varsity baseball
team took batting practice on the field, Diane Camilli walked into
Rec Park with her camera and took a look around.
The daughter of former Major League player with the Brooklyn
Dodgers and coach of the Prune Packers Dolph Camilli was awestruck
by the field and grandstands as memories flooded in of sitting at
the ballpark with her mom, watching her father and brothers on the
field.
Five of her brothers played for the Prune Packers on Friday
nights.
“I can remember sitting in the stands, freezing, and wondering
what am I doing here,” she joked.
Meanwhile, HHS baseball player-to-watch Frankie Renteria hit a
ball out of the park over the left field fence.
As part of the grandstand renovation, the baseball field dugouts
will be extended to make room for the extra equipment and
additional players that are part of baseball teams now.
“Look at all the stuff they bring now,” Holley said as he
pointed to the line of bat bags and gear during the team’s practice
last week. “Back then, you just showed up with your mitt to
play.”
Ballplayers carry extra equipment, sometimes multiple gloves,
bats and balls to each practice and game and there are more players
on each team now than there once was.
The renovation project officially got city support last week, as
councilmembers approved the concept and encouraged the committee to
move forward. The city will provide staff oversight to ensure that
the project is built to local building requirements, but all of the
designs, planning, and construction will be done by the committee
and its volunteers.
Members of the committee estimate that if the city would have
attempted to undergo the same project, it would have cost upwards
of $1.5 million. The volunteer team expects to complete the project
for under $400,000.
Healdsburg Vice Mayor Tom Chambers said he is thrilled the
project is moving forward.
“You guys have done it before,” he told the committee. “We are
just so fortunate that Healdsburg has folks like you that can make
this thing happen.”
The group plans to begin the project shortly after the fair
wraps up in the end of May and has set a target completion date of
August 2011.
