The Heart of Town
Shawnee County Parks + Recreation
The sun beat down on us as we left Cedar Point—the famous amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. My daughter and son had joined me for a day of scaring ourselves on world-class roller coasters. As we pulled back into my father-in-law’s house, my son said, “See you at the game in a couple hours.”
“You bet,” I replied.
I grabbed some dinner and caught up with the rest of the family. As I settled in and got comfortable, it got harder to think of driving down to Orrville—a little town about an hour away—to watch my son’s adult fastpitch softball game.
But I had promised. So, I jumped in the car, joined by my twin daughters. They chose the music and, windows down to enjoy the rapidly cooling night air, we slid into the twilight. As we drove, we passed through other small towns, seeing high school and youth football and soccer teams finishing practice—parents and kids mingling beneath the trees, chatting, and enjoying their time together before heading home.
We pulled into the Orrville town park, parked, and walked to the grandstand behind home plate. We sat down among the parents, wives, husbands, and kids of the ballplayers and enjoyed the conversation flowing around us as the game played out before us. In between innings, my son hopped up into the stands to sit with us and chat. As he left to re-join his teammates, I looked around the park. In every corner, kids and adults were out having fun. There was a basketball game going on in the corner, kids running around the playground, an older couple walking around the perimeter. It dawned on me, once again, how the humble town park is the heart and soul of most small towns. The place where friends and soon-to-be friends gather to laugh, and cry, and connect.
As the sun went down, an older gentlemen leaned over to one of my girls and said, “Hey, can you go over to that power pole and flip the switch for the lights? Looks like they’re going to need it soon.”
My daughter smiled and did as she was asked—pleased to be part of the town, if even for one night. A little later, lights fully ablaze, we started for home, making plans to stop at Dairy Queen for a well-deserved ice cream before bed.
This issue is dedicated to the humble town park, or more correctly, the sports fields that make them such a hot spot. I hope you like it. If you do, or if you don’t, feel free to let me know. We love mail.
Till next month…
Rodney J. Auth
Publisher
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