Sandra Blanchard of the Hannibal Town Council is putting out the call for everyone in Hannibal to come together and assist in the creation of a recreation park for community use.

Talks between the town and village boards of Hannibal began a couple of months ago and since then the governmental bodies have met three or four times to discuss the proposed park.
“We do have a plan in mind. We discussed it for a long time before we invited people in,” Blanchard said. “(The park) is not set for any one type of person. We’re looking at things that involve everyone.”

Aug. 4 was the last meeting held at the town hall and there was a great turnout, Blanchard said. “It looked like people were very happy with the idea.”

The park’s specs include an area for a skateboard park, ice skating in the winter, a pavilion with picnic tables, grills and sidewalks for walking and biking. The goal is also for the park to be used as a community center, with picnics, anniversaries and parties to be held there as well.

“We don’t really have anything for the kids,” Blanchard said, noting that many areas are unsafe for skateboarding in Hannibal. “We’re hoping as a community to all get together and make this happen.”

The recreation park would be located on Cayuga Street near the town hall. According to Blanchard, there is extra land near the building to construct a park. This is also the site of Hannibal’s annual Winterfest. “It’s a great location and it’s a safe location,” she said, noting there is plenty of parking and it is in the center of the community.

Blanchard pointed out that due to the ever-increasing cost of living and high gas prices, that people are looking in their own area for ways to entertain themselves. She also noted that the construction of the park would not come from raising taxes, but from donations and fundraisers.

She noted that there are many low-income families in the Hannibal community that cannot afford cars to travel places. Blanchard also pointed out there are many children skateboarding without helmets because they cannot afford them, and she hopes to find a grant that will pay for helmets. 

In order for the park to be a success, the whole community must be involved, Blanchard said. “We need everybody … Like anything in life today, people have to out and make it happen,” she said. “At this point, we’ve had a lot of volunteer offers.”

Some of the services community members have offered include grant writing, digging the foundation of the park, laying the top surface for the skateboarding and ice skating areas and coordinating fundraisers. At the Hannibal Firemen’s Field Days, even with short notice a dunk booth was set up and $202 was raised toward the park’s creation.

Even though the park is intended for use by the entire community, Blanchard stressed that area youth must be involved in the effort. At the town’s next meeting, Blanchard is hoping for enough youth to come so they can gather to create their own club to be involved in the community park effort. She also noted that various fundraising options are to be discussed.

“It’s not going to happen in a day or two, but it’s definitely going to go through,” Blanchard said.

The next Hannibal Town meeting will be held Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at the town hall.  at 7 p.m. at the town hall.