Breakfast Optimist Park
The Breakfast Optimist Park is home to 10 youth soccer fields for kids ages 5 – 14. It also has a large playground area, picnic space and public restrooms.
The idea for developing a park started in 2012 when the City of Wapakoneta asked the Breakfast Optimist Club to help with the purchase of the Centennial School property. The Club offered the city $20,000 towards the property if the Club got the naming rights and an area to construct a playground. The City offered used playground equipment that was torn down from the Wapakoneta Schools.
The Breakfast Optimist Club started the project in the fall of 2012 putting up phase one of the playground. During the winter of 2013 the club sorted and repaired equipment for the second and third areas to be constructed. Phase 2, the largest area was completed in the fall of 2013. The final area, Phase 3, was completed in the summer of 2014.
The club’s members did all the construction work consisting of over 1500 man hours. The park playground equipment was valued at $120,000 if purchased new. The club spent approximately $12,000 for repair parts and construction supplies in completing the project.
The playground was designed by Dave Howe and his committee of Terry Blosser and Tony Stinebaugh. They also planned a shelter house which was constructed by Dan Reichenbach for his Eagle Scout award.
The Club had several local businesses help with donations to help make the project possible, so a big thank you to all who helped make the park complete.