CHESAPEAKE – Build it and, hopefully, they will come.

Tuesday, June 12, 2001

CHESAPEAKE – Build it and, hopefully, they will come. The village of Chesapeake has taken a few more steps in the creation of its new village park.

Last week, village employees spent time in the park but it was no day in the shade. Workers and volunteers spent time constructing the picnic shelter after its arrival early last week.

The new "pavilion-style" shelter was placed as the center piece in the village’s park. The shelter’s cost, said Chesapeake Mayor Jimmy Justice, was $10,146.20, but the village will receive a $7,609.65 reimbursement from the state. With the state’s reimbursement, only $2,536.55 will come from the village’s coffers.

Other additions have also been made to the park.

The flag pole has been set at the park’s entrance, park benches have been placed around the paved walking track that circles the park and lighting has been constructed around the walking trail.

Chesapeake Elementary students have also done their part to help decorate the site.

Students at the school grew flowers in their classroom throughout the school year to help with the landscaping. The students raised the flowers from seeds provided to them by the Chesapeake post of the American Legion.

The Legion received the seeds through an essay contest by the "America, the Beautiful" pilot program based in Washington D.C. The Legion received 30 dogwood trees, 1,000 packets of flower seeds, and more than $1,000 worth of tulip bulbs.

Village officials hope to have all of the materials at the park installed this summer.