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Council to call PV land ‘Cubby Park’
by Rick DeClue · News · April 20, 2017
On Monday, the West Branch City Council voted to name the recreation center and park land in Pedersen Valley “Cubby Park - in Memory of Mark Worrell.”
Worrell served on the council for 17 years, including two years as mayor until he passed away in 2015. He was a key proponent of the city’s acquisition of the ground to house ball fields, a future recreation center and planned swimming and library facilities.
Parks and Recreation Director Melissa Russell said the Parks and Recreation Commission sought suggestions from commission members. city council members, students and citizens before considering a final list of possibilities at a Feb. 20 meeting.
They forwarded the name “Mark Cubby Worrell Park” for Monday’s resolution.
After a discussion led by Mayor Roger Laughlin, the council amended the selection to “Cubby Park - in Memory of Mark Worrell.”
Russell said other names considered by the commission included - from students - Bear Alley, Bears Den, Bear Wood Park, Explore Park and Bears Blaze. Commission members focused on honoring Worrell with Mark Worrell Memorial Park, Cubby Park and Cubby Bear Park.
Worrell was known as “Cubby” to family and friends.
When called for her thoughts on the park name, Mark’s wife, Kathy Worrell, declined to comment on the council’s decision.
In addition to the new name, the council approved $6,000 in new engineering costs for the park’s Phase 1. The work will cover rotating and slightly expanding the size of the so-called “practice field” to be initially located on ground planned for the potential future swimming pool.
By eliminating 30 of the planned 167 parking spaces, the rotation allows the field to be aligned with home plate and stands near the snack bar and restrooms, consistent with the park’s two permanent fields.
The field dimensions will be 180 feet down the foul lines and 210 feet to center field. This matches a high school softball field and accommodates baseball up to the 12-year-old level.
The council also asked Russell to include a cost projection to pre-wire and pre-plumb the field for future lighting and irrigation, in case the city decides to add these features to this third ball field.
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