By Patricia Beech-
Many Peebles residents will remember 1 Simmons Avenue as the former location of the yellow brick building that housed Peebles High School for nearly 50 years.
Today, both the property and its purpose have been transformed, thanks to the efforts of a group of community leaders, parents, and residents who formed the Peebles Youth Sports Organization, Inc. (PYSO).
While developing the sport’s park, PYSO’s goal was twofold: create an area where children, in and around Peebles, can come to play a variety of sports throughout the year, and, secondly, provide a place where families can be physically active together.
To achieve those goals, PYSO has carried out a major renovation plan over the past few years that includes relocating and updating the concession building, developing new baseball/softball fields, new fencing, green space for soccer and football, a basketball court, a batting cage, new bleachers, a new playground set, and new concrete areas that help make the park ADA accessible.
In 2018, several of these renovations were completed through a partnership between PYSO and the Adams County Creating Healthy Communities (ACCHC) program.
Through this partnership ACCHC grant funds assisted with the purchase of bleachers, concrete, ball field development including bases and mounds, and a new storage building for use at the park. Partners of the ACCHC, particularly the GE-Peebles Test Operation community service group, and other local groups and individuals provided countless hours of volunteer services to assist PYSO in getting the renovations completed and the park ready for the 2018 season.
Because the ACCHC program is committed to preventing and reducing chronic disease statewide, they collaborate with communities to make healthy food accessible and affordable. The program also seeks to increase opportunities for physical activity by implementing sustainable evidence-based strategies that create a culture of health where Adams County residents live, learn, play, work and worship.
“There are many reasons to renovate or revitalize a community park. But if you want to break it down to the most important reason, it’s for the sake of our kids,” stated Debbie Ryan, ACCHC Coordinator. “Creating a place where kids feel safe and happy while they are being active and at play is what revitalization is all about.”
PYSO President Kyle Smalley says the organization has even more plans slated for future development.
“We still have more work to do and projects to complete,” he said. “But, with these community partnerships, we’re taking steps in the right direction to make a great park for our kids and the community.”
While baseball and softball season have ended, the grounds remain busy with soccer and football leagues, or kids playing games of pick-up basketball or using the new playground equipment when weather permits.
Ryan says it isn’t unusual, even in the off season, to see a flurry of activity somewhere on the park’s nine-plus acres.
“One thing is for sure, in an area where many Peebles children went to school so many years ago, there are still a lot of lessons learned at 1 Simmons Avenue,” she says. “What better use of this land than to carry on life lessons for kids?”
