Cleaning up its image

A community park is quietly taking shape south of Brainerd, and neighboring residents may not even be aware of it.

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Barrows Community Park, about two miles south of Brainerd off Business 371, is blossoming with the addition of children's playground equipment and a grassroots campaign for horseshoe leagues.

Brad Arnold, a township resident for 31 years, has volunteered his time for the park. Arnold, a project manager at Hy-Tec Construction of Brainerd, said Barrows has struggled to clean up its image. Now, he said, there are new homes, young families and growing opportunities. Arnold said volunteers have spent hundreds of hours for the last four to five years to clean up the area and develop the park.

Crow Wing Township board member Brad Arnold tried out the swings Monday in the new Barrows Community Park. Eight years in the making and hundreds of hours of volunteer work, what was a burned over area from the Barrows wildfire is now home to horseshoe pits, swings, picnic shelter, basketball courts and a ball field.Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls

"It's all part of trying to expand an opportunity for the townspeople young and old alike," Arnold said. "It's starting to take shape and you see young families out there utilizing it and it starts to show there is a reason for the effort."

The township has 80 acres for the park and the town board levied about $30,000, to help develop the area. The Lakes Area BMX bike track leases land, but township Supervisor Dave Schultz said there is plenty of land for many activities. One suggestion has included adding a football field for the future.

Schultz said the goal is to get people out to relax and enjoy the park, which is next to the town hall. A new ball field was added to the park and this year the horseshoe pits and playground equipment are going in. Residents may rent out the town hall for events.

"We're hoping people use the park that's what we are putting the money into it," Schultz said. "We've got a ways to go but slowly we are getting more things in there."

Organizers expect the playground installation to be completed by the end of the week. Ginny Rogers, Crow Wing Township clerk, said the playground set was chosen to provide a large, sturdy piece for climbing and a variety of activities.

"The board decided to get one large piece to complete the playground equipment, rather than buying additional pieces in the future," Rogers said. "There was enough money set aside for park improvement for this piece."

The modular play equipment, considered ideal for children ages 5 to 12, includes a spiral slide, three bump wave slides, three vertical climbers, a corkscrew climber, fire pole, caterpillar climber, straight loop climber, a wavy horizontal ladder and even a tic-tac-toe panel. Hy-Tec is installing the equipment.

Resident and horseshoe enthusiast Connie Bachman hopes adding four lanes of horseshoe pits will attract people interested in taking up the activity and adding league play. Bachman hunted for horseshoe pits in the area but found limited options. She even traveled to Genola in order to play.

"I love to play," Bachman said. She hopes to add a senior league during the day and other leagues at night.

"It's coming back," she said of horseshoe popularity. "It just tickles me pink it used to be a man's sport and now I think there are more women playing than men."

She said the activity helps people remain active but doesn't entail expensive uniforms or equipment. It's active but not strenuous, competitive but social and Bachman said anyone can do it.

"It's very easy," she said. "We are encouraging beginners to come. Once this catches on, you are going to see this in other parks. You are going to see this catching on."

There is a National Horseshoe Pitchers Association with a national tournament this month in Iowa. Starting a club here would be a bonus, Bachman said, noting there are tournaments in area cities like Genola.

"It's really getting big," Bachman said. "It just hasn't caught on in this area."

But Bachman hopes to change that with the horseshoe pits in Barrows Community Park. Anyone interested may call her at 829-7096.

"I'm just hoping it will go over," she said. "The park has been so good. They are nice courts. They've got a beautiful pavilion there."

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.