More than 70 people volunteered to ready the newly refurbished Elliott Park for its grand opening on Nov. 21. The morning weather was glorious, and the final massive mulch pile was completely distributed by lunchtime. By 3 p.m., despite the misting rain, the playground was covered with gleeful children clambering around on the new equipment.
Tom Adamson and Chris Crigger added much joy to an already delightful afternoon with their wonderful selection of adult- and kid-friendly tunes, and the Shenanigans Food Truck was on hand to keep everyone fed.
As umbrellas popped up, Sewanee Civic Association (SCA) board member Elizabeth Duncan gave a quick welcome to the crowd and thanked the many individuals and groups who helped make the new park possible. She made special mention of Emily Puckette who, as a member of the SCA Parks Committee, was truly the individual who instigated the overall process. Her enthusiasm and work on the front end provided the strong path to see the project to fruition.
She also mentioned David Hill at Gametime, Inc., who worked diligently to keep the overall cost affordable, and Greg Connex, who installed the equipment. Duncan noted that the beauty of the park would not have been possible without the partnership between the SCA and the University of the South, which undertook all of the site preparation and hired American Contractors to build the beautiful sandstone wall.
Duncan then introduced University Vice-Chancellor John McCardell and Provost John Swallow, who spoke eloquently of relationships and committed community leadership. He thanked Duncan, SCA past president, and Kiki Beavers, current president, for their dedication to the mission of the SCA. McCardell and Beavers officially cut the ribbon to open the playground, which was already well in use.
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