CUBA CITY—To ring in the summer activities season, a dedication ceremony has been planned for the new sports complex in Splinter Park on May 29. The committee organizing the event is looking for volunteers to share their stories of fundraising activities they were involved in in the 1950’s-60’s, when children, adults, businesses and organizations collected money for a new swimming pool in Cuba City.
In the mid-1950’s, Florence Kilkelly, Phoebe Loomis, Russ Taber and Florence Brewer formed a fundraising committee for a swimming pool to be built in Cuba City. Near the end of the 1960’s, the financial goal had not been reached, so the money that had been raised was secured in the Cuba City State Bank. The account was dormant for several decades so in the year 2000 the Cuba City State Bank transferred the monies from the Swimming Pool Fund to the Cuba City Park and Recreation Committee.
In 2015 the balance in the fund was $84,770. After considering several possibilities representatives of the Cuba City Swimming Pool Fund, Mayor Gile, the city council and the city’s park and recreation committee, voted to use the funds to build the Multi-Sports Complex at Splinter Park to serve all ages. It cost $77,868.80 to build the facility. The remaining balance will be used for future maintenance of the complex. No tax money was used to build the facility, which was completed in the fall of 2015.
The complex, built on the former tennis court site, is enclosed and allows for a variety of sporting activities including basketball, pickle ball, tennis and volleyball. New lighting was installed to enable participants to use the courts after dark. It has become a place where people of all ages are active or enjoy watching others participate in various activities.
“It’s great to have this money finally used to build the sports complex,” Cuba City Mayor Tom Gile said. “A lot of time and energy was put into collecting the money years ago and we now have a great addition to Splinter Park. Let us all remember the people who are not here to see the complex, but worked so hard in collecting money for the project.”
The dedication of this facility will be held on Sunday, May 29, at 12:30 p.m. under a tent at Splinter Park. Everyone is invited to attend the dedication, especially those with stories to share about fundraising activities they were involved with in the 1950’s and 1960’s. If anyone with stories to share is unable to attend the event, sent your story to share at the event to Ruth Ann Summers, 410 S. Main St., Cuba City, WI 53807, or Janette Vail, 405 Sunset Drive, Cuba City, WI 53807, and the story will be read for you at the dedication ceremony.
