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New park honors Menteer Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming Randy McCartney, lead man for Central Point�s Public Works Department, surveys work on a new park dedicated to his co-worker, Jason Joseph Menteer, who died last year in an electrocution accident. McCartney and fellow workers, friends and family designed and built the park themselves. The stones came from Menteer�s father�s ranch. Central Point dedicates it today By Buffy Pollock CENTRAL POINT � Family, friends and co-workers of a man who died in an electrocution accident a year ago will gather this weekend to remember him and dedicate a new park in his name. The Jason Joseph Menteer Memorial Park will be dedicated at 10 a.m. Saturday with the unveiling of a plaque bearing Menteer�s picture and a blessing dance by members of the Klamath Indians tribe, to honor Menteer�s Cherokee heritage. The park is on Brandon Street at Rosewood Lane. Menteer, 22, was an employee of the city Public Works Department when he was electrocuted Aug. 30, 1999. He was part of a work crew repairing a broken water line that came into contact with a power line; the shock jolted the workers, killing Menteer and injuring two others. The park, once called "long and skinny park," now honors a man known as "the gentle giant," says Randy McCartney, Menteer�s lead man at the time of the accident. "They called him �the gentle giant� because he was a big and strong guy who was as nice as can be," he said. "He had a soft heart." McCartney was one of the two men injured while trying to free Menteer from the fatal current. McCartney and co-workers, family and friends designed and built the memorial park. It features a large pond and waterfall, a gazebo, barbecue, horseshoe pit and a planter made from rocks from Menteer�s father�s ranch. The planter is full of roses, Menteer�s favorite. "We want this to be a reflection park. It�s a place to be away from noise and traffic � a real peaceful place to be," said McCartney. "There was some real care behind this project. It�s a nice-looking park. We�re sure Jason would�ve liked it. We really miss him." At the entrance to the park will be a plaque with Menteer�s picture and a description of his life. It�s made from old-growth redwood and carved with a buffalo, an eagle and an Indian flute player. City Public Works Director Rick Bartlett said that although Menteer had worked for the department less than a year, his death had an impact on everyone who knew him. "He�s still alive in all of us and we wanted to do something for him. I think (creating the park) did a lot for the grieving process after losing a comrade like him," Bartlett said. Menteer was "someone who anyone would want to work with" and "a super kid who had a lot of potential," he said. Jason�s father, Larry Menteer, said the park is a nice tribute to his son. "My son loved working for the city of Central Point and I�m sure they reaped the benefits of having him as an employee," Menteer said. "He was a vivacious young man who had a lot to offer. I think it�s honorable the city is doing that for him. "The city involved us with all the plans so the park is designed with the things Jason loved: fly fishing, barbecue and horseshoes." Jason Menteer lived in Rogue River and married his longtime sweetheart, Chelsea, just two months before the accident; they were set to leave on their honeymoon the week he died. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA