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Photo by Jim Craven Maddy Grimes, left, and her sister, Kelly, swing with a push from their mom, Cybele Grimes, at Talent's Chuck Roberts Park. Grimes wants to get more residents involved in her efforts to improve the park. Talent mom works for play space By WENDY SIPOREN TALENT -- When Cybele Grimes' two kids want to go to a park to play, she loads them into her car and drives to Ashland. The lack of a safe and fun playground in the city has launched Grimes on a crusade to build a new playground at Chuck Roberts Park. "There are so many kids in Talent and it could really be a beautiful park," said Grimes, whose efforts have led her to a position on the city's parks commission. The few existing swings and climbing structures at the park on Talent Avenue are outdated and unsafe, she says. Fellow commissioner Cheryl Nadler-Voss also says she spends a lot of time in Ashland parks with her kids. "There's no place to play, no place to go anywhere to have fun," said Nadler-Voss. "We not only want to live in Talent, we want to play in Talent as well." Grimes' efforts, which began two years ago when she first moved to Talent, were rewarded with a $35,000 contribution from the city last May and have prompted a complete redesign of the 12-acre park. But she says it's been difficult to get people involved in the project. The city funds are enough to grade the land, install a safe ground cover, build retaining walls and a short wall surrounding the playground equipment. It should also cover the cost of a small play structure for 2- to 5-year-olds and a portion of a larger play structure for older kids. "We want there to be enough stuff to begin with to make it a fun playground," she said. Grimes also hopes the construction will motivate community members to raise funds to complete the playground. She estimates an additional $45,000 will be needed to complete the project. Existing restrooms and a drinking fountain need to be repaired. Plans also call for new swings, a merry-go-round and a tire swing. The play structure will be accessible to the disabled. A walking path with gardens and benches for senior citizens tops the commissioners' wish list for the rest of the park, along with resurfaced tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a volleyball court and a better irrigation system. The new master plan for the park should be completed in February. "One of our main priorities for the park is to have something for everyone in the city to enjoy -- from babies to senior citizens," said Grimes. Grimes would like to break ground on the project this year, but still needs help with final design engineering plans. She has appealed to the Oregon National Guard to help with the initial grading and the construction of retaining walls, but is hoping someone with engineering skills will want to contribute to the project. Anyone interested in contributing time or money to the playground may call Grimes at 512-8975 or Allison Zigich at City Hall, 535-1566. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA