Hunter Park splash pad, pickleball courts open
Jun. 18—Thor McLaughlin became the first kid to play on the new splash pad that's now open in McAlester's upgraded and refurbished Hunter Park.
He achieved the distinction when his parents happened to drive by the splash pad earlier this week on their way to visit a relative. The sharp-eyed child saw water on the pad left there due to a test run by city of McAlester employees and told his parents, Mike and Melissa McLaughlin, he wanted to play on it.
"I dropped my niece off here at the housing," said Thor's mother, Melissa McLaughlin, referring to the nearby McAlester Housing Authority apartments.
"He saw this had the water on," she said. "We went home and got him some swimming clothes and came back."
Young Thor took to the splash pads with enthusiasm, cavorting around, whooping and hollering and generally appearing to be having a great time. However, after a bit, he perceived something that might make the experience even better — more children.
"Is anybody else going to play?" Thor asked the question with a sense of hope that was fulfilled before the day's end.
Michael J. Hunter Park's splash pad is only one of the city's new additions at the site. It's near a pavilion, with picnic tables, covered by a metal roof. Adjacent to the splash pad are newly-refurbished boys and girls restrooms. To the east are the newly-refurbished basketball courts and two newly-constructed pickleball courts.
A newly-asphalted walking trail meanders around the grounds of the 7.6-acre park, with adjacent areas chatted. Strings of LED electric lights are wound through some of the tree branches and even above the picnic tables inside the pavilion, giving the site a sparkling ambience.
"This is a great addition to our outdoor parks," said Robbie Patton, head gardener with the city's Parks Department.
"It's a big addition to McAlester," said city McAlester Land Maintenance Supervisor Sherman Miller.
City employees said city of McAlester Senior Engineer Technician Johnny Reich designed many of the park's improvements.
"We have been a point of entry," said city of McAlester Streets Supervisor James Roberts. He said the city's street crew poured much of the concrete for the project, including the increased off-street parking at the park.
City of McAlester Chief Financial Officer Sherri Swift noted the Hunter Park upgrades have been been a multi-year project, with some of the work done in-house.
City Manager Pete Stasiak is pleased at the results.
"I couldn't be more proud of our employees and effort and love that went into this for our community," he said.
"It goes beyond words."
As for young Thor's question regarding more children playing on the splash pad, McAlester Mayor John Browne said he checked out the park later that day.
"There were 8,000 kids out there," he joked.
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalester.
