After 3 years of planning, on March 10th, 2010 the build finally began. It took over 1000 volunteers working for 5 days rain or shine (mostly rain) from 7am-8:30pm using hand tools graciously loaned by local community members and a lot of heart. The dream of two great foundations, Shierson Winners Circle and Hope at the Point, to build a special children’s playground in Mooresville, North Carolina (Race City, USA) was brought to reality. It was a hard five days that I would not trade for anything.
I had the distinct pleasure of building this park alongside a wonderful team of volunteers and two fantastic consultants from Leathers & Associates. There were 10 of us that volunteered to work every shift as construction captains (pictured in yellow shirts below). We were there to oversee the work of the volunteers, who were not specially trained builders, but mothers, fathers, grandparents, members of race teams, firefighters, and even the children that will one day play at Hope Park. The one thing that they all had in common was an overwhelming sense of pride for their community.
In just five days these ordinary people became superheroes and turned a blank patch of dirt into the largest and most unique playground in Mooresville, and it’s ADA compliant making it wheelchair accessible. Inspired by the Shierson Winners Circle Foundation, Hope Park has a bold racing spirit you’ll notice as soon as you step onto “Winner’s Circle,” which features a life-size replica of Doug Shierson’s car that won the 1990 Indy 500, handmade from composite decking! Mooresville is home to the majority of Nascar’s racing teams, who may be rivals on race day, but joined forces for their community along with their future teammates from Nascar Technical Institute.
Hope Park is unique in its own rights but it’s not a first of its kind nor is it the last. This could easily be accomplished in your community. The two foundations worked with Leathers & Associates from Ithaca, NY who have been helping communities make dreams like this come true since 1971. Take the first step and contact them to start your own community built park in your home town.
