Some Early History about the Weed Parks and Recreation District, not complete yet, but interesting so far
HISTORY OF WEED RECREATION & PARK DISTRICT
The earliest beginnings of what is now the Weed Recreation and Park District, were in 1948 with organization of a local committee composed of members of local civic groups. Chairmanship of the committee was held by Mr. Jack Kersey. The committee verbalized the need for a public body to meet recreation needs of the community and to acquire park space. Immediately prior to the 1950 General Election, eight petitions were circulated about the local area by various committee members. Each petition was headed with the following statement:
" Purpose of forming said District is to secure and maintain for all of the people of said area a sound wholesome and adequate system of recreational facilities which will thereby contribute to the health , safety and social adjustment of the citizens, the prevention of delinquency and support the prosperity of the Weed community."
By July 15, 1950, the petitions had garnered a total of 400 signatures. On July 25, 1950, the petition was filed in the Office of the Clerk of Siskiyou County in Yreka , California.
On September 5, 1950 the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors passed a Resolution designating that a District should be established in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 , Chapter 3, Division 5 of the Public Resources Code of the State of California.
On Tuesday, November 21 , 1950, the General Election was held. The District became a legal entity under the title of "Weed Park, Recreation and Parkway District" by a majority vote of the first Board of Trustees. Elected to serve two-year terms were Mr. William Albert Davis (deceased) Mr. Harry V Spence (deceased) and Mr. Harold Ernest Scott. Davis was elected Chairman, Scott Vice-Chairman and Spence was the Board Secretary.
The boundaries of the District were the same as those of the Weed Elementary School District. A 15¢ tax rate was levied on the residents of the District and the District came under control of the California Recreation Commission.
By June of 1956, the District had a City Park at the present site of the Weed Convalescent Hospital. During that summer, the Board hired its first Summer Playground Leader , Mr. William Rall, a teacher at Weed Elementary School. Parks also came into existence in the Old South Highway region and Angel Valley. The latter was leased from International Paper Company. ln December of 1956, the District sponsored its first year of the Ski School.
On February 15, 1958, a Resolution was passed in order to conform with an impending State law. The District reconstituted its boundaries and changed its title to "Weed Recreation and Park District". Also, control of the District shifted from the State to Siskiyou County. ln that same year , the District received the deed to what is now the Carrick Park.
In June of 1958, the Weed Lions Club approached the Recreation Board, suggesting they would help assume part of the financial burden of installing a community swimming pool provided the District would take on the responsibility of operating and maintaining the facility. A Board motion was made and seconded , followed by a unanimous vote. In July of 1965, the idea became a reality and Mrs. Rose Bird was the first Pool Manager. The entire project was supported by donations and gifts from local civic organizations.
By June of 1972, the District had grown to include six parks. In 1973, the District purchased a relocated home from the Carrick-Warren Fire Protection District. This structure was permanently installed in Carrick Park and now serves as housing for the Director and his family.
In May of 1973, the District hired its first, full- time Director of Recreation and Parks, Mr. Bryan H. Hopkins. Within a year, all- season recreational activities were existing in Weed. In July of 1974, Mr. Lee Ferrero was hired as the District Director.
PAST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William A. Davis 1950 - 1963 (Deceased)
Harry V. Spence 1950-1956 ( Deceased)
Harold E. Scott 1950-1955
Aldo Rossetto 1954-1957
Wilbur O'Dell 1954-1956
Dwight R. Madeen 1954-1956
Herbert Pyles 1955-1958 Deceased)
Don Smith 1956-1959
Harry Koch 1956-1957
Walter. Maloney 1957-1963 (Deceased)
Lloyd Dawson 1957-1966 (Deceased)
James Fruzza 1959-1967
Jessie O. Green 1959-1974
Morton A Kaer 1963-1973
Gabriel Daggett 1963-1972
Vincent P. Tallerico 1967-1972
Joseph Rossetto 1969-1981
Jim Ray 1972-1976;1977-1981
Jim Cornwall , Sr. 1972-1979
Gloria Phillips 1972-1977
Lorraine McCoy 1974-1977
Virgil Tuman 1976-1979
Robert Hall 1977-1978
Debi Salvestrin 1978-1979
Vince Merritt 1979-1981
Ken Shaffer 1979-1981
Darrell Williams 1979-1981
Arlandus Clark1981-1983
Sue Gatlin 1981-1985
Maarten Ligtenberg 1981-1983
Joe Ganim 1981-1983
Tony Andrews 1981-1985
Chuck Abel 1983-
Valerie Ferrero 1983-
Ray Brown 1983-
Mike Carpine 1985-
Tom Crumpacker 1985-
Jeff Tucey 1985-
Jan Keen 1988-
Mark Mazzoni
Martin Nicholas
Susan Tavalero
Tony Aquila
Evelyn Smith
Paula Rossetto
Veronica Rivera
Jeffrey Willams
Joseph Greenslade
PAST PROGRAM DIRECTORS
(Seasonal from 1956-1972)
William Rall 1956
Damien Rossetto 1957
Frank Lucero 1958
Arron Thomas Jr 1959
John Patella 1960
Robert Willet 1961
Robert Willet 1962
Phil Fotopoulos 1963
Eddie Fruzza 1964
Jim Cason 1965
None 1966
None 1967
Jeanine Cox 1968
Lee Ferrero 1969
Fred Pillon Jr 1970
Ned Borlang 1971
Mike Smith 1972
Bryan Hopkins 1973-1974 (First full-time)
Lee Ferrero 1974-1978
Wm L Crampton 1978
Mike Rodriguez
Breana Myers
Kim Greene
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Weed Recreation and Park District is to develop and maintain the park lands into play areas for all ages and to promote a recreation program to fit the needs of the community. This may be accomplished by the development of supervised activity programs, construction and maintenance of recreation facilities and cooperative efforts with other agencies in the area which provides like services.
AREA
The Weed Recreation and Park District is approximately 83 square miles in size, comprising about 54,400 acres. Within its boundaries lies the City of Weed and the Carrick and Warren Additions. Roughly one-half of the District is on the North and Northwest slopes of Mount Shasta, including the summit itself . The southern boundary pass es to within one-half mile of Black Butte and the western boundary misses the community of Edgewood by one-quarter mile. Eighty-five sections of land are within the District.
SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Weed Recreation and Park District lies within the Weed Union Elementary
School District. The following schools are within the District:
Weed Union Elementary School
Weed High School
College of the Siskiyous
THE NATURE OF RECREATION
Recreation is a leisure time activity voluntarily engaged in for its own sake, which contributes to the physical, mental and moral development of the individual participating therein, and may include any activity in the fields of music, drama, art, handicraft, science, literature, nature study, camping, aquatics, low organized games, sports and athletic s, in addition to activities incorporating informal play.
Recreation may be an individual experience or one shared with a small or large group. It may be organized or unorganized, commercial or non-commercial, and under private or public auspices. Recreation is cast today in a greater role than ever before since it is the principal opportunity of many people for creative living.
Community recreation, sometimes called public recreation, is the provision by a governmental agency of organized recreation. It is available to all people; is financed primarily by taxation, and includes the establishment, operation, conduct and maintenance of program services, areas and facilities.
In the pamphlet "Recreation for Community Living " developed by a national.
committee and published by the Athletic Press, it is stated:
“A summarization of recreation relation to other fields would stress that recreation belongs to all people as an area of daily living, that it has many significant by-products related to other fields of human needs, that it possesses great values as a means of personal and group achievement, that is a fundamental means of democratic expression, that it provides one of the best means of assuring that people can develop values as individuals and thereby secure an individual dignity which nothing else can reproduce, that it is a significant factor in promotion of human unison, and that it is society’s responsibility.”
AREAS AND FACILITIES
DISTRICT OFFICE
The Weed Recreation and Park District office is located in Bel Air Park at 450 College Avenue, Weed, California.
DISTRICT SWIMMING POOL
The community swimming pool is also located in Bel Air Park, adjacent to the District Office. The pool complex includes a children's wading pool. The large pool has a capacity of 177,180-gallons, a 12 ½ foot-deep end and dimensions of 42 feet by 83 feet.
DIRECTOR'S HOME
The District owns a three-bedroom, two-story house, with a well at Carrick Park. This house is provided to the District Director and his family.
DISTRICTS PARKS
Bel Air Park is between College Avenue on the north and College of the Siskiyous on the south. It has an area of approximately 7.1 acres on which are located a lighted softball-little league baseball diamond, a playlot, a large open playfield and picnic facilities. The park is leased from the City of Weed.
Lincoln Heights Park is located at the intersection of Lincoln Blvd. and Highway 97. It is an area of 24 acres divided into 4 parcels. Lincoln Park contains a soccer field, a softball field, volleyball court, basketball courts, horseshoe pits , picnic facilities and a restroom (maintenance) building. The park land was donated by International Paper Company in December of 1980 and was initially developed with monies from the Roberti -Z'berg Urban Open/Space Grant and the Park Restoration and Urban Reforestation Programs. Two lots are leased from the City of Weed (for parking and access).
Weed Sons Ball Park is adjacent to Weed High School and is bordered on the west by Hillside Avenue. It is an area of 7.6 acres, part of: which is the site of the old Weed City Baseball Stadium, still standing. The stadium was built in 1941. The hard ball field was lighted in 1977 using money from the 1974 Bond Act. ln 1979 a Roberti -Z'berg Grant was obtained to build a lighted youth size field including a two-story concession/announcers/restroom storage facility . Land is leased from the City of Weed.
Carrick Park is in Carrick Addition, at the intersection of Maple and Park Street. It comprises an area of about 3 acres. The park contains picnic facilities a basketball half-court, a tot lot, and a restroom/maintenance facility. This area is suited primarily for picnicking and houses the Director's home. This park is also owned by the District.