Restroom planned for Mount Olive park
By Kelly Corbett
Published in News on June 26, 2012 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Construction work on the restroom at Nelson Street Park in Mount Olive is now under way after fundraising efforts by two local organizations raised enough money to begin the project.
The $23,900 plan, a combined effort of the Friends of the Parks Foundation, the Men of Faith, Integrity, Character and the town of Mount Olive, is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 7 when the second National Night Out is held in the park.
At the foundation's March meeting, vice president Al Southerland said the idea for a restroom facility has been around for nearly a decade.
The formal groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday.
Contractor John Gerken of Eastern Carolina Custom Garages and Home Improvements officially began the construction work on the 16- by 27-foot facility Monday morning marking the outline of the area where the building will stand. Workers dug the footings on Monday and are pouring them today. The brick mason will start tomorrow, Gerken said.
"We're moving right along," he said.
Gerken said the target completion date of Aug. 7 is realistic.
"I'm going to try to push it along faster than that," he said.
The facility will be located 120 feet away from the road in the left corner of the park.
So far, the project has received a $500 donation from St. Mark Free Will Baptist Church, a $5,000 donation from Southern Bank, a $5,000 donation from Mt. Olive Pickle Co. and several donations from community members in town, bringing the total to nearly $15,000.
"It never ceases to amaze me how citizens in Mount Olive will come together for a worthy cause," Southerland said. "The restroom is the first step in making Nelson Street Park the family-friendly park we desire for it to be."
Anyone interested in getting involved can attend the foundation meetings at 3 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the train depot in Mount Olive. The next meeting will be July 19.
"We still need donations for the restroom and other much-needed equipment for the park," Southerland said.
To donate, mail checks to the Friends of the Park Foundation at P.O. Box 953, Mount Olive, NC 28365.