Members of the MHS Class of 2026 presented a proposal to refurbish Ray Gyllstrom Memorial Park to members of the Marcellus Village Council, Tuesday, July 15. The trio completed the project in the last semester of their junior year and hope with the Village’s approval and sufficient funding to complete the project before graduation. Pictured front row, left to right, Trustee Muriel Haley, and seniors Keira Sharp and Cat Shelton. In back, left to right, Trustees Gerald Haley and Sarah Engstrom, senior Noah Bohan, and MHS English teacher Melody Schneider. -News Photo
Broken fences, negative spaces, dead grass, an unbalanced merry-go-round, and expletives carved into the gazebo are not conducive to a pleasant day in the park. These are just some of the concerns members of the MHS Class of 2026 are hoping to remedy at Marcellus’ Ray Gyllstrom Memorial Park.
Seniors Keira Sharp, Cat Shelton and Noah Bohan are on a mission to refurbish the park, especially Sharp and Shelton who’ve had a lifelong relationship with it. The deterioration of the park over the past number of years has led to their opinion that the park is “not as safe and up to date for younger kids.”
Their question now is “where to take this and make it work?”
The trio’s well researched and comprehensive project proposal was presented to Council members and MHS graduates Sarah Engstrom, Muriel Haley, and Gerald Haley, Tuesday, July 15. The presentation is the final semester project for Mrs. Melody Schneider’s junior English class. While it’s no doubt they received a glowing grade for their efforts, the viability of their vision warrants more than a mark in a gradebook.
At this writing, the group is hoping to be included in the Council’s agenda for July 22 or, if not then, a future meeting date.
The Vision Statement for the project says, “Our goal is to refurbish portions of the park by adding in or repairing playground equipment and the fence, and planting greenery/flowers along the edges. By doing this, the park will become a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing environment for people of all ages.”
Through interviews, surveys, observation and research, the project reveals eight areas of concern:
1. Four broken/dismantled spring rockers; the two that remain are barely functional and unsafe due to damages.
2. Damaged slide structure with cracks and rust that pose a safety risk for kids who may suffer lacerations.
3. Negative spaces – dead grass, removed sandbox
4. Broken fences with sharp parts that children could cut themselves on.
5. Unbalanced merry-go-round that needs repainted and the old paint removed.
6. Rotted wooden base for parallel bars.
7. The handicap swing is damaged, rendering an unsafe environment for people in wheelchairs. The gate that keeps wheelchairs from sliding out is broken and will not close properly.
8. There are expletives carved into the gazebo that young children can easily access.
Results from a survey distributed throughout the Marcellus School system show that when asked when the last time was you visited the park, only 28.4% of respondents said they had visited in the past year. 79.7% of respondents showed interest in attending a refurbished park.
The project’s solution includes approximately $36,000.00 worth of time, materials, and equipment. Bohan, who helped create the project’s budget, estimates that slightly over $10,000 is needed for new park equipment, including monkey bars, spring rider, whirlwind seat, metal playground and teeter totter, $10,000 to $25,000 for equipment removal and installation of new equipment, and $1,000.00 for flowers, other plants, and a weed barrier. Optional items the project suggests are two cameras to enhance safety and mulch to replace the wood chips under the swings.
Sharp and Shelton pledge that the MHS Class of 2026 will maintain the refurbished park once a month for a school year. It is hoped that future classes will take on maintenance duties for years to come.
The project also cites an article from ScienceDirect.com that states, “Studies have shown that parks in close proximity to children’s homes correlate positively with better mental and physical health.”
● “Positive mental health ratings increased with more parks in walking distance
to home.”
● “Residents in neighborhoods with higher quality parks are more likely to have lower levels of psychological distress.”
They also cite an article in Vol. 47, Issue 1-2, in Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, that says, “going to green spaces considerably increased people’s emotions, contentment, and general physical health… Residents who spend more time in [parks] experience higher levels of wellness than those who spend less time there.”
It’s been six years since the community banded together to enhance the park. In 2019, Sam Gerring led a successful initiative to install a wheelchair accessible swing at the park; however, Sharp and Shelton’s investigation shows that the swing is now damaged and not safe. This scenario does highlight the concern for long term maintenance for a project of this type.
The project team does plan to seek grant funds, as well as private funding, and volunteer help. Anyone wishing to assist should contact Melody Schneider at the high school, melody.schneider@marcelluscs.org. However, since school is not back in session, yet, feel free to contact the administration office at (269) 646-7655.
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