If you have been in the park lately, you might have noticed the frog is missing. In June, the frog was uprooted. We don’t know who did it or why. We’ll assume the best and hope it was a group of rowdy kids who uprooted it by accident. I’m imagining the shock, then laughter, followed by panic as the group ran out of the park, hoping no one saw them.
Regardless of the intent, the Warheim Park Board of Directors takes care of such incidents. I spoke with Jim Clements, a board member since 2014 who sits on the maintenance and beautification committee, about the frog and how his committee plans to fix it. Jim lives at the entrance of the park, which gives him a special perspective.
On June 23, Jim heard a group of people in the park long after dark, “a little noisy, but not rowdy.” He walked down the next morning, expecting to find their beer bottles. Although the site was clean, he found the children’s playground frog wrested from its footings, the result of vandalism.
He reported it to the board at the next monthly meeting. Jim said, “Typically, one or more of us tries to resolve any vandalism as soon as possible.” He prepped the frog for replanting, but has been waiting for some cooler days to install it.
He’ll have several other volunteers who will help. Jim said the repair likely will require 3-4 hours and the cost of a few bags of concrete—which is “not much compared to the cost of aggravation!”
Some of you may assume Metro Parks would take care of this problem. While Louisville Metro Parks Department holds the title to Hal Warheim Park, responsibility for the supervision and maintenance of the park rests solely with the Warheim Park Association and funding comes entirely from donations and fundraising. The park’s maintenance, preservation, and improvements are managed by the Warheim Park Association Board of Directors, an all-volunteer group of individuals comprised of residents, like Jim, in the immediate neighborhood.
If you are visiting Warheim Park, and see anything that needs attention, email warheimpark@yahoo.com.