Rouleau Park Dedication

On Wednesday, June 1st, 2016 at 5pm, the Brattleboro Schoolboard will hold a ceremony dedicating Rouleau Park at the foot of the Canal Street School, in recognition of Lois and Larry Rouleau’s more than 35 years of relentless community service. A good show of community support would be wonderful: Everyone is invited.

Last year, Larry said that he and Lois, in their mid ’80s, are going to be less active: but still there was no sign of them slowing down. Whenever I run into them, they are on their way with a delivery to a food bank or community dinner, organizing a fund-raising tag sale, collecting bottles and cans to support community activities, or raking leaves and cleaning rubbish to maintain the park. Years ago, the Schoolboard had to remove a dangerously dilapidated jungle-gym, which they did not have funds to replace. With the Schoolboard’s permission the Clark-Canal Community Association installed two benches at the park, but otherwise the space remained empty.

Were it not for the Rouleaus’ personal efforts to keep the park neat and clean, it would have deteriorated. Last year, the Association was able to purchase playground equipment and organize a community installation. When Clark Street resident Paul Laliberte suggested naming the park for Lois & Larry came up, Larry objected. Nonetheless there was neighborhood consensus, and wholehearted support from the schoolboard. You can view the board’s discussion and decision to name the park at their March 2, 2016 meeting, starting just after the counter shows 46 minutes, at this link:

http://www.brattleborotv.org/brattleboro-town-school-board/brattleboro-town-school-bd-mtg-3216

Of particular interest on this video are the remarks of Lola Bryant, who in brief words expressed the reasons that Larry & Lois are held in high regard. Lola had talked for years about purchasing playground equipment, and without her, that spot would still be empty. As Treasurer of the Clark-Canal Community Association, Lola’s vigilant frugality made the purchase possible.

Again, we hope you can come to the dedication of Rouleau Park on Wednesday, June 1st at 5 p.m.

(all photos by Steven K-Brooks)

Community Installation: We had worried whether enough people would show up… they did!

Organized Chaos!

Lola Bryant unpacking equipment, just off the truck. The playground installation started as a gleam in Lola’s eye! She talked about it for at least three years… it finally become reality.

Lois Rouleau knows all the neighborhood kids and parents. She has been the crossing guard at the corner where the park is located for years. She says that the playground equipment now makes it easier for her to keep the children safe, away from the street, while they await the school bus each morning.

Getting the installation started. Larry Rouleau at the right.

Naively, we had thought it was a matter of coming up with the money, and selecting the equipment. That, we learned, was just the beginning of a very complex operation. For example, 19 footings had to be dug and poured, properly located.

Devil is in the details: If any of the footings had been placed wrong, we would have found out, too late, on installation day.

Every detail in the 76 page assembly manual needed to be done right!

Clerk of the Works, Scott McCusick. Without him, organized chaos would have just been chaos! Scott was a prince, always going the extra mile, rescuing us from each unexpected crisis. We will be eternally grateful not only to Scott, but to Deb Gass, Schoolboard member and Executive Director of Early Education Services, who got us hooked up with Scott. And we are totally gratified for the Schoolboard’s encouragement and support!

ROULEAU PARK IS OPEN TO EVERYONE