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Masonic Park to undergo renovations

Photo by Janelle Patterson Steve Zoller, 66, of Marietta and David Locke, 56, of Marietta, review the plans of the renovations beginning at the Masonic Park pavilion in Devola Tuesday.

DEVOLA — Just past Huck Greenhouses on Masonic Park Lane in Devola sits a rustic pavilion, playground and grass ball field that have been the site of church picnics, fish fries and Boy Scout meetings for more than 100 years.

Currently the pavilion at the park is under renovations to update the bathrooms and put a kitchenette facility in the place of the old rotted-out stage. Members of the two Masonic lodges in Marietta have come together for the project and recruited several local labor unions to donate labor for the updates.

The Masonic Park has played host to wedding receptions, family and class reunions and several sports clubs over its lifespan, and will soon boast Americans with Disabilities Act compliance for its bathrooms and pavilion.

“I don’t know a soul in Marietta that hasn’t been here in some capacity. I remember playing kickball here on Sundays after church,” said Steve Zoller, 66, of Marietta. “It’s been an affordable place to bring people together. Some people rent it out on Christmas for their family get-togethers, others for weddings and hog roasts.”

The land was donated by Charles Flanders in 1923 through his last will and testament to the American Union Lodge No. 1 and Harmar Lodge No. 390 for use as an “out-of-door recreation park … to meet the needs and demands of Masons and their families.”

“My great-great grandfather was a mason and his goal was to give that land as a separate entity for all local masonic organizations to use,” said Ed Flanders, of Flanders Insurance in Marietta.

“After 100 years it needs a little upkeep to stay here for the next century,” said David Locke, 56, of Marietta. “Part of that is providing a no-barrier access for those who are handicapped or in wheelchairs.”

Through donations from the Hale Endowment Trust Fund, Shrine Club Holding Corporation, American Union Lodge No. 1 and Harmar Lodge No. 390 the project has finally kicked off.

“Now the park needs to be accessible to everybody, especially kids and adults in wheelchairs or walkers,” said Flanders, who is also a member of the Hale fund’s board. “We’re allowed to use the trust to help children in Washington County with disabilities gain access to education, medical care and recreation and so we thought the pavilion was a wonderful cause to support.”

But ADA-compliant materials cost more than the average building materials, which brought the first phase of the project’s cost to $19,000.

“That’s just what the materials cost though,” said Zoller. “The labor is all through volunteers. We couldn’t do this project without people donating their time to put this together.”

Zoller is managing the renovation of the bathrooms and kitchen area in the pavilion. Working alongside him are volunteers from the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union No. 168 class under Jeff Smith and other community members and labor groups.

“They’re a big help with putting all of the plumbing in,” he said. “When you take a student and have him work on a real world project it not only helps him practice that skill, but it gives the project a special meaning to him.”

After the pavilion kitchen and bathrooms are complete, a goal set for the end of this year, the next phases of the project will continue to make the property inclusive of all residents.

“Once the building is clear we’ll do some work on the grounds and look to make the playground handicap-accessible as well,” said Tag Wetz, 73, of Marietta. “Anybody that wants to donate their time or monetarily can get a hold of David because we’d love to see the community support this since it is for them.”

For more information or to donate labor contact Locke at 740-525-0022.

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