Did you know that Fulton has a park called Schenk Park? Don’t worry, you’re in good company.
“You meet people 70, 80, 90 years old and they don’t even know it was a park,” said First Ward Alderman Tom Kenyon, who says he refused to let the city sell the tiny sliver of land for a dollar and began looking for a way to save it. The park’s land, at the corner of Route 48 and Worth St., does not even appear in the county’s database of properties. Schenk Park has been pretty easy to miss for a long time.
Not anymore. Help arrived from an unlikely place: Liverpool. Teenager Michael Sanson of Troop 139 in the Onondaga County village needed an Eagle Scout project. Fixing up Schenk Park and making it visible to the world fit the bill.
Sanson, his friend Nick Hull, Sanson’s father and father’s girlfriend, members of his troop and Kenyon dug in to clean up the tiny lot.
They mowed the lot, planted perennials, installed a bench and created a sign for the park. It’ll be much harder to miss from now on.
“When I first saw it, this didn’t even look like a park,” Sanson said. “It looked like a vacant lot, it looked like nothing at all. It definitely looks a lot nicer and people will probably notice more that it’s an actual park and not a vacant lot.”
Sanson carved the letters into the sign by hand. “I’m not really good with handy things but it definitely looks good. I’m pleased,” he said.
As he spoke, Cub Scouts from Fulton’s Troop 715 worked on weeding a planter at the far end of the park with their troop leader. Sanson submitted his work on the park last week for the review that will determine whether he has earned his Eagle Scout honor.
Kenyon and Mayor Ron Woodward say they’d like to remove a huge evergreen tree that stands in the middle of the park and has grown in front of a streetlight in the park. Woodward said that years ago, the city used to string Christmas lights on the tree for the holidays. It’s way too tall for that now. They’d like to replace it with a flagpole and hope they can find a sponsor willing to fund the project.
For now, though, it’s good enough that a long-invisible city park is now cleaned up and plainly visible to all who drive by. “Look at this place,” said Kenyon. “Just from doing a little bit of work.”
[mappress]
Video and Photo Gallery:
Video features an interview with Eagle Scout candidate Michael Sanson.
The sign and landscaping at Schenk Park.
The sign for Schenk Park, facing Route 48, which was carved by hand and painted.
Eagle Scout candidate Sanson, Mayor Ron Woodward and Sanson’s father look over the renovations to the park land.
Officials and those involved in the project gather for a group photo.
Cub Scouts from Fulton Troop 715 weed a planter. The Scouts are John Moore, Tyler Pettit, Brian Trombly, Maxwell Sunday, and troop leader Sarah Sunday.
Cub Scouts from Fulton Troop 715 weed a planter. The Scouts are John Moore, Tyler Pettit, Brian Trombly, Maxwell Sunday, and troop leader Sarah Sunday.
Cub Scouts from Fulton Troop 715 weed a planter. The Scouts are John Moore, Tyler Pettit, Brian Trombly, Maxwell Sunday, and troop leader Sarah Sunday.
Cub Scouts from Fulton Troop 715 weed a planter. The Scouts are John Moore, Tyler Pettit, Brian Trombly, Maxwell Sunday, and troop leader Sarah Sunday.
Michael Sanson of Liverpool, the Eagle Scout candidate who worked to restore Schenk Park.
Schenk Park, dominated by an old evergreen tree that city officials would like to replace with a flagpole if a sponsor can be found.
Sounds like a good Eagle project. Good to see Boy Scouts in the news making the community better.
George A. Reed
Whatever happened to the Park at the end of Mahatten Ave and North 8th Street
I used to play Basketball there as a youngster.
I really enjoyed working on this project and I am glad that I could make a difference in helping the City of Fulton improve one of their city parks. The Alderman Thomas Kenyon and many residents were very pleased by this project. The Alerman Kenyon told me that he would like to see other volunteers helping to improve other city parks of Fulton. I thank the Mayor Woodward, Alderman Kenyon, and everyone who helped to make this project come together. I would also like to thank the City of Fulton residents for making me feel like I was part of the community. A special thanks goes to Dave Bullard for supporting me by taking pictures and writing this article.
*Michael Sanson
Michael: You’re welcome and thanks for your contribution to our city. It was a pleasure to meet you and I’m sure it’s not the last time you’ll make news for doing something good./Dave
Thanks Dave, nice article!
Thanks again to all the community, councilmen, mayor, and a special thanks to Alderman Thomas Kenyon for helping to put this project together. The only one not recongized is Michael’s mother Patty Sanson who along with me has been very influential in Michael’s quest for him to obtain the rank of Eagle Scout. Our dedication has helped to create the fine induvidual who Michael has become. I hope that the community enjoys the newly improved park!
-Richard Sanson (Michael Sanson’s father)
Im so proud of you Mike!!!! You got it done and I know you worked really hard at this and have been looking forward to achieving this! Congrats 😀
Mike,
I don’t know of the park that you are speaking of but if this park is something that you believe should be available for the residents of Fulton to utilize, then I would suggest to you to contact the Alderman in that ward.
The world needs more people like this. Thank you and god bless.