Ribbon cutting at Badger Park
to mark opening of new pavilion

By PATRICK DEWEY • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

A ribbon cutting will take place at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 16, at Cooperstown’s Badger Park to open a new pavilion.

The purchase of the pavilion is a result of a partnership between Cooperstown Friends of the Parks and the Cooperstown Lions Club in conjunction with the village.

Susie Knight, the acting chairperson of Friends of the Parks, said her group first had the idea for the pavilion.

The idea came about because during the coronavirus pandemic, locals and tourists alike were visiting Badger Park frequently to play basketball or use its playground.

As part of the Lions Club’s annual president’s project, the club raised money for a significant portion of the pavilion cost. Tom Hohensee, as a member of both FOP and the Lions Club, was able to organize this collaboration, Knight said.

The pavilion, built by the Amish Barn Company, has room for two picnic tables. It is a goal of the Lions Club, FOP, and the Village of Cooperstown that the pavilion be accessible to those who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.

Knight said she anticipates the pavilion being utilized to provide shade on a sunny day. She said it would make a great place to take a break after playing on the playground or playing basketball. It will also provide protection from wind and rain.

“There had been consideration of a Badger Park pavilion by FOP for some time, so this was a great way for our two organizations to make a collaborative effort,” Hohensee said.

Deirdre Crouse has been a Lions Club member since 2014 and is the past president. Crouse said there will be a fundraiser event at Badger Park during the ribbon cutting. The event will raise money for the Cooperstown Lions Club Childhood Cancer Support Fund.

This fund was established to provide financial support for the needs of children and families affected by childhood cancer. Any family with a child who is being treated for cancer in the Bassett Healthcare Network is eligible to receive funding. Funds are distributed based on family need to offset costs such as travel, lodging and food, that are not covered through insurance. These funds will also be used to offer comfort for children directly by providing toys, games, stuffed animals, and other items for their well-being.

The fundraiser, which will take place after the ribbon cutting, will be a corn hole tournament. The divisions will be 12 to 18, and 18 and over.

“We want to see a diverse group of people participating and different age groups will be tossing the beanbags at different times,” Crouse said. She said there will also be a 50-50 raffle.

Hohensee said the Cooperstown Lions Club will provide ongoing assistance with landscaping around the pavilion.

The Cooperstown Lions Club, whose motto is “We serve,” has participated in and organized many service projects. These include Lions See, a program providing screenings to children under six to identify potential visual issues and then provide support for quality eye care. The Lions Club has also helped with the Kid Garden located behind Cooperstown Elementary School. Annually, the Lions Club collaborates with the Rotary Club to help keep the Susquehanna River clean.

“It’s important to me to volunteer for the betterment of the community. My goal is to see all the good in the community and try to make it even better,” Crouse said.

FOP has the mission of improving and enhancing Cooperstown’s six parks.

“The parks are a big reason why I moved back to Cooperstown, so I love giving back to the community through involvement with Friends of the Parks,” Knight said. She said since the time she joined FOP more than 15 years ago, she has seen and participated in the expansion of Badger Park. At first, Badger was just a skating rink with a small parking lot and shack. With help from FOP, the park grew to include basketball hoops, a child-friendly playground for those under five, and other enhancements. “The pavilion is the icing on the cake,” Knight said.

You can find both Cooperstown Friends of the Parks and the Cooperstown Lions Club on Facebook for more details.

For details or questions about the Lions Club corn hole tournament and the related fundraiser effort contact Crouse at 607-353-0044 or donleydeirdre@gmail.com.