Young couple cleans up field so kids can play

The abandoned ball field by the old junior high on Oak Street is getting a makeover.

When Brea Mellon, 19, and Zach Bushnell, 18, sat outside their home near the park, they noticed waist high weeds at the park.

They also noticed a large number of children playing in the neighborhood streets.

Let the kids get in the park and out of the street to play, Mellon and Bushnell thought. This way they can be safe and not worry about cars and other obstacles.

The couple moved to the neighborhood about a year ago.  Back then they thought it would be nice to clean up the park.  Since nice weather has approached they have seen more and more kids out playing and thought now is the time to take the initiative and start the project.

Although the property is privately owned, Mellon and Bushnell have spoken with the owner and have his full support and permission to make upgrades to the park. He even told them that maybe in future the land can be purchased. 

Mellon and Bushnell are hopeful for a future donation of the property.   Bushnell said they will take one step at a time.

“The owner said it is something he thought about doing for a long time,” Bushnell said. “He said since he lives out of town he really didn’t have the time to get to it.”

“The park wouldn’t just be for the neighborhood kids,” said Mellon. “It would be available for the entire community and that is why we need the community’s help.”

The park already has a baseball diamond, but needs sand and bases.  It also has two goals for soccer however only the frames are there and they need nets to fit them.

First on the agenda is to clean up the park and get rid of weeds and unwanted grass.  The couple has already enlisted the help of several people including Ray Yoder, who helped them mow the grass down to a manageable level and Stan Sweet  helped them rake it out.

Future plans after the clean up include, planting trees as a buffer to the railroad tracks, adding playground equipment, nice grass and picnic tables and hopefully an irrigation system.  They would also like to set in place volunteers to help maintain the park.

“This will be the community’s park and people to feel free to volunteer, including the kids in the neighborhood,” said Mellon.

The couple, is hard at work on weeding and seeding and getting the field in shape after they get home from their day jobs.  Bushnell works at Wells Fargo Bank and Mellon works at the Well Life Cafe.  The pair take to the park to work on improvements during the early evening hours.

“We were out there last night until after 9 p.m.,” said Mellon.

Mellon and Bushnell, who grew up in Bonners Ferry,  will be going door-to-door  to businesses around Bonners Ferry looking for any type of donation that can be spared.  They are in need of supplies, volunteers, monitory donations and anything that could help contribute to their cause.

“We just wanted to be able to get the community involved and help us give back to this place that has helped us so much growing up,” said Mellon.

Mellon and Bushnell can be reached at 946-6515, or 946-0226.