SHIRLEY — The Shirley Town Council wants residents to get involved in the local park’s upkeep.
Last year, the Shirley Community Visionaries, a nonprofit group aimed at improving the town, received an $8,000 Celebrating Communities Grant from the Hancock County Community Foundation; the group wants to spend that money improving Shirley Park.
A call-out meeting for people with ideas about how to improve the park is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Shirley Park Shelter House.
There was a park committee in the past, said Visionaries member Andy Ebbert, but the group seems to have run out of steam — it’s been at least three years since the committee met.
Ebbert said he has been talking to some past park committee members who want to be involved but don’t want to be in charge.
Council member Rebecca Perkins suggested to move the park committee under the Visionaries group, since it is a nonprofit organization. Visionaries was created four years ago to stimulate community involvement and revitalize Shirley’s main street, Ebbert said.
There’s plenty of interest in the park, Ebbert said — people come to the council every spring and summer and ask permission to play softball, for example.
“We’re getting the meeting started to try to get people invigorated into the park committee,” Ebbert said. “We’re interested in what people think needs to be replaced. We want to spruce it up, dress it up, and make it better for the kids.”
