BROWNSTOWN
As soon as good weather arrives, more work will be completed at Brownstown’s Heritage Park.
The terra cotta-colored bricks on the walkway in front of the stage will be pulled up to be engraved and then put back in place. Nearly 120 people have filled out forms to have a 4-inch-by-8-inch or an 8-inch-by-8-inch brick engraved with names, dedications, important dates or slogans.
A few picnic tables also will be added, and a shade screen will be ordered to have on hand when needed.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
The park’s committee recently received a $500 donation from The Peoples Bank and will put that toward the purchase of the picnic tables and shade screen.
The bank conducted a promotion where it agreed to donate $2 to a charity for each customer who signed up to receive email bank statements. Employees of the bank’s branches in Brownstown, Crothersville and Seymour decided which charities would benefit.
Along with Heritage Park, the beneficiaries were the Red, White and Blue Festival in Crothersville and Community Diner in Seymour.
Mary Sue Spurgeon, a member of the park committee, said money will continue to be raised for the future needs of the 0.45-acre park at 121 E. Walnut St., including restroom and storage facilities and other amenities. People can donate through the Community Foundation of Jackson County.
Reservations to use the park or its 40-foot-by-40-foot stage also are being accepted at Brownstown Town Hall, 200 W. Walnut St.
The stage was used during a Girls Night Out event in August and the park’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in October, and Brownstown/Ewing Main Street plans to use it for Artsfest on April 29.
“That’s what we want. We want it to be used all of the time as much as possible,” Spurgeon said. “People have just been so wonderful with it. We’re so happy that people helped to put it together. We’re really happy with it.”
Order forms for the bricks still are available at the town hall. The smaller brick, which costs $100, can have up to three lines with up to 18 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation. The larger brick costs $200 and has a maximum of six lines with up to 18 characters per line.
Woodlawn Life Celebration Centre in Seymour will do the engraving.
“It has been a very successful project,” Spurgeon said. “We would like to get the whole stage in front filled up (with engraved bricks).”
Margie Strange with Schneider Nursery Inc. was in charge of landscaping at the park. Blake Hackman’s horticulture class from Brownstown Central High School helped put the finishing touches on that work before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
One corner of the park includes trees, shrubs, mulch, solar lights and a concrete bench, and there is a flagpole on the opposite corner.
The park also includes five light poles. Carl Shake, owner of Brownstown Electric Supply Co., had some of his employees install the light poles and electricity for the park.
The committee also had the sidewalk replaced from the American Legion building next to the park down to Sugar Street. Three handicapped parking spaces also were placed in front of the American Legion.
Mike Tormoehlen, who grew up in Brownstown and now lives in Indianapolis, volunteered his time to serve as the contractor for the park project.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
To contribute to the Brownstown Heritage Park Fund, visit the Community Foundation of Jackson County, 107 Community Drive, Seymour, or call 812-523-4483.
Checks also can be mailed to the foundation at P.O. Box 1231, Seymour, IN 47274. Checks should be made payable to “Community Foundation of Jackson County” with “Brownstown Heritage Park Fund” written in the memo.
[sc:pullout-text-end]