Park holds memories for life-long residents

Back in the early 1950s, the families that lived along 17th Street and Circle Drive pulled together to transform the four vacant center lots, which were covered in weeds and three-foot tall grass, into a park that the whole neighborhood could enjoy.

As the only couple among the many who worked to build the park to still live along Circle Drive, Doug and Pauline Benbrook recounted the effort required to make the park a reality.

Doug Benbrook said that a neighbor across the Circle named Robert Perrin actually “stimulated the idea of buying the lots, which were owned by Dr. Hunter, to keep the area beautiful.”

However, Dr. Hunter wanted $8,000 for all four lots, Doug said, noting that was a lot of money back then.

A meeting with city commissioners resulted in a matching funds agreement, he said, but that still left the Circle Drive residents having to raise $4,000.

“(Fortunately) Perrin was a car salesman,” Doug said, “so he sold people on the idea that if they could raise the cash, they could have the park.”

Within three months or so, he said the neighbors had raised their share of the money and they were well on their way to getting their neighborhood park.

The first order of business was landscaping, Pauline said, noting that after all the old grass and weeds were cut down and plowed under, she solicited neighborhood kids to help her plant fresh Bermuda grass.

“I don’t think I got much help,” she said, but eventually the new grass was in place.

In addition to the new grass, another Circle Drive resident Dr. Ebbie Wells donated some trees to the project, Pauline said, noting that Wells was able to get the trees from a local nursery that was going out of business.

The trees were planted around the perimeter of the park area so that they could provide shade while still leaving plenty of space for kids to play ball games, she said.

Once the new trees and grass was planted, Pauline noted that the landscaping still wasn’t complete since everything had to be properly watered.

However, the only hydrant for the park was in the very middle and was located underground, she said, noting that once she got hoses from the city, she would have to lay down on the grass and stretch to be able to connect the hoses to the hydrant so she could water the lawn and trees.

This went on for a number of years until the city finally installed a water sprinkler system, she said.

However, it was all worth it, Pauline said, because it added some green to the neighborhood.

“It’s a lift to feelings to see something green and growing,” Doug said.

But for a while, a little green patch was all the park was, he said.

Eventually the Circle Drive residents approached the city again to ask for playground equipment to be included in the park, which is when some neighbors who worked for Razien Metals helped construct a swing set and a swinging gate for the park, he said.

“That’s all we had for many, many years, until finally the city decided to put the wooden structures in,” Pauline said, noting that the wooden playground was built approximately 15 to 20 years ago.

Over the years other additions and improvements were also made to the park, including a basketball court that was funded by another Circle Drive neighbor, picnic tables and a baseball backstop purchased by the city, and a slide and other playground equipment that was relocated to the park from Crystal Beach Park.

And over the years Circle Drive Park has become more than just a neighborhood park.

In many ways, it has become a communal front yard for the families that have lived along Circle Drive, the Benbrooks said.

It is not only a place for the neighborhood kids to gather to play games, but it is a place where the local dog owners come of an evening to give their pooches a chance to play and socialize while they chat about the events of the day, Doug said.

It is also a place where families can get together for a fun time while staying close to home, he said.

Since the area doesn’t see a lot of traffic, Doug noted that it is a safe place for people to exercise or for children to learn how to ride their bikes.

Pauline said it’s even “where Doug takes his evening walk.”

“There’s not many places you can find like that,” Doug said. “It’s a wonderful place.”

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