MANSFIELD — Obie Stillwell is still looking out for his hometown in Mansfield.
The former Madison High School football star, who later walked on and lettered at Ohio State University, lives in Columbus.
But the desire to help people back home still burns as bright as it did when he was an All-Ohio linebacker for the Rams 34 years ago, now using his business connections to help the city land a new basketball court.
That effort became highly visible on Friday at noon when the new court was launched at Liberty Park on the city’s northeast side, one of the highlights of a day used to rededicate the 88-year-old, 24-acre park.
It was a day-long celebration, including the re-dedication of the flagpole at 9 a.m. (see photo gallery below) and also a Summer Fun Fest from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (see photo gallery below).
Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry and Stillwell joined together to cut the ribbon on the new court, installed by Cincinnati Sportscapes on Thursday, featuring a VersaCourt surface that workers said would last far longer than any asphalt treatment.
(Below are aerial photos of the new basketball courts at Liberty Park on Friday. Photos are provided here by Chris Castleman, owner of Cincinnati Sportscapes LLC.)
The $75,000 surface and four hoops were fully paid for through sponsorship money from the Coca-Cola Consolidated Foundation and BODYARMOR Sports Drinks.
“Everything you are seeing at Liberty (Park) has come through some really tremendous public and private partnerships,” Perry said, “which is something near and dear to my heart.
“If were to have to rely on only the city budget, it will take us a really long time (to bring the city parks back. When we have partners, we can make progress a lot faster,” the mayor said.
State Rep. Marilyn John (R-Richland County) took note of the children in attendance.
“It’s great to see all you guys here. You sometimes get a bad rap for not wanting to get out … for sitting on your phones. I think this shows that if the public and private sectors come together and we provide our young people with an out, that’s all they want,” John said.
“All we need to do is give them a place to come and be safe and get outside,” she said.
Perry credited Stillwell for helping bring aboard the sponsors for the project, which was already attracting children to a skills showcase through Hoops for Youth and the Mansfield Senior High School Tygers Basketball staff.
“They do courts like this all over the country. Mansfield was not on the schedule this year, but they had another community fall off and (Stillwell) helped us make the connection at the right time,” she said.
(Photos from the ceremonies Friday at noon to launch the new basketball court at Liberty Park, including a ribbon cutting and a skills clinic with Hoops for Youth and the Mansfield Senior High School Tygers Basketball staff. Funds for the court were provided through a sponsorship with Coca-Cola Consolidated Foundation and BODYARMOR Sports Drinks. The story continues below the gallery.)
Stillwell returned the compliments.
“You can have a good idea, but a good idea is not great unless you have great people around it. Mayor Perry, (Public Works Director) Louis (Andres), (Parks and Recreation Dept. Supt.) Mark Abrams … stepped up and said ‘hey, we’ll lead the charge,'” he said.
“It’s been a blessing. There are so many good people in Mansfield who have stuck around and believed in it and still believe in it. I was able to bring some relationships together and convince those relationships to come to my hometown of Mansfield because Mansfield is always on my heart and mind,” Stillwell said.
“It took a little nudging, a little convincing, a few phone calls and a few conversations, but they eventually took the conversation with the city and we went from there,” he said.
“Sometimes, I think those who are in power, who have the ability, don’t always follow through. It was important when I reached out to these relationships with Coca-Cola that I said, ‘I can’t start something in my hometown that we don’t follow through with,” Stillwell said.
“There are a lot of good people and good ideas in Mansfield. I can’t say enough about Mayor Perry and what she is doing and things she is following through with in the community,” he said.
Mandi Snyder, community relations manager at Coca-Cola Consolidated for Indiana and Ohio, said she was thrilled to see so many people in attendance.
“This court is not just a place to play. It is Mansfield’s symbol of their commitment to community spirit, health and wellness,” she said.
“So let’s just enjoy this beautiful weather. There’s going to be a lot of beautiful memories made out here,” Snyder said.
Public Works Director Louis Andres said it’s important for the government to provide “nice, clean, safe areas for youth and families to recreate.”
“This is the start of something we are going to do in Mansfield. We’re going to use this as a model and keep replicating this and getting our parks back in shape so our youth can come out here and our families and the generations that have enjoyed these parks over the years,” Andres said.
(Photos taken Friday afternoon at Liberty Park as the five-hour Summer Sun Fest got underway on the city’s northeast side. The story continues below the photo gallery.)
After the flagpole rededication on Friday morning, Perry said the celebration was in Liberty, but that all of the city’s parks are improving.
“It feels like a new energy is emerging at Liberty Park. I was thinking back to last year when people were here and expressing frustrations and just wanting to see more happen. I love that so much of what’s happening here is grassroots-driven,” she said.
“I think all of this is exciting and kind of empowering people to make a difference. The city is happy to help facilitate that and come behind and do things, as well.
“Liberty Park has kind of been the focal point because a lot of the bigger projects have been here. But with new playground equipment at Maple Lake Park and Prospect Park … we are still very much at work on some projects we hope will come to fruition.
“We’ve got groups coming to us saying ‘Hey, we want to help. We want to partner with the city. Where do you need help?’ I just think that’s exciting and I love to see people are gaining excitement for what’s happening in the community,” the mayor said.
The work at Liberty Park has been aided by private groups like Rewild Liberty and skateboard groups that are creating a “DIY” skatepark on the site of the old tennis courts.
Perry said the hiring of Andres was key to the parks improvement. He began his 40-year career parks and recreation career in 1978 with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as a park naturalist, including 22 years as the park manager at Malabar Farm State Park .
“I didn’t know Louie that well. But I knew his background in the parks and I knew he was known for getting things done. That’s what I wanted … someone who would bring a fresh set of eyes.
“He drives (into a park) and sees totally different things than I do because he has done this for so many years. He has really coached our parks team on looking at first impressions and then taking those projects one at a time,” Perry said.
“I know some people are asking, ‘Why are you putting all of this effort into Liberty? Why not the park in my neighborhood?’
“Our intention is to not leave any park behind. All of the parks are not this big and they won’t have the same things. But they should all be nicely kept, clean, safe and well-lit. That’s what we are working towards,” she said.
“It will take some time. We have a limited (parks) budget. But that’s why these public/private partnerships are so handy.
“If we were relying solely on the city budget, we would not be here.”
(Photos taken Friday morning at Liberty Park during the rededication ceremony for a flagpole. The flagpole installation was a cooperative effort between the City of Mansfield and the community, funded by VFW Posts 3494 and 9943. The flagpole is dedicated to the memory of U.S. Army Air Corps Cadet Frank Fisch, who died during a training-flight crash in 1937. Fisch was of one of the greatest athletes ever at Mansfield Senior High School and later was the starting QB at Ohio State. )
