Community effort

The recent official reopening of Rothsay Park was the result of a fine example of community cooperation.

Local residents of all ages gathered for a barbecue on Aug. 31 to celebrate the long-awaited reopening of the park, which has been closed in recent years, a casualty of increasingly demanding safety standards for playground equipment.

Community members, local organizations and Mapleton Township came together to obtain and install new equipment for the park.

Rothsay resident and Rothsay Darling Ingredients Inc. (RDII) employee Ed Meulenbelt approached plant manager Mark Brunarski about involving the company, which agreed to share in the cost of the project through Mapleton Township’s 50/50 parks and recreation funding program. The Drayton Kinsmen also contributed to the cost.

When the park opened in 1999, the Community News reported at the time that, “For decades to come children in this area will benefit greatly from the kindness of the Rothsay Optimists,” for their contribution to the park.

Now thanks to the efforts of those listed above, those benefits have been extended by decades more.

Patrick Raftis