Over 100 years ago, the 27 acre Tract of land where Hoyt Park sits on Saginaw's east side was heavily wooded at the top of the hill. At the bottom of the Hill, it was basically a “Bayou.” The lower bowl was nothing but a marshy area full of Bullfrogs, Muskrat, and Water snakes. In the late 1800's, City workers kicked all the critters out and the Marsh was drained. The City brought in a landscaping expert to plant sod in the lower bowl. A few years later, they created a road along the east side that connected at either end.
During the 1920's it was not uncommon for the park to have more than 190 baseball and softball teams competing in various leagues over the course of one summer. In those years, when Hoyt Park was at its peak during the winter months, they would often times have record days where over 7,000 patrons enjoyed ice skating, sledding, and tobogganing in ONE DAY!
In the 1930s, Hoyt Park was averaging 100,000 skaters every winter and throughout the decades it has remained the Crown Jewel of Saginaw's parks and recreational programs, despite the fact that with large numbers of citizens leaving the city over the past 20 years, coupled with budget cuts, in 2003 the City could no longer afford to maintain Saginaw's Parks and Recreation programs. City baseball, softball, flag football and other recreational leagues, which had provided an outlet for the City's residents throughout many generations, were suddenly no longer available.
For five long years our city went without the use of Hoyt Park and it wasn't until 2008 that concerned Saginaw citizens came up with the idea to create a group that would help resurrect and maintain the historic park. It started when Chris Packard would often bring Christian Youth Groups to the park to play Baseball games. Chris wanted to start a “grassroots” effort to make Hoyt Park available to all Saginaw children.
Two Saginaw City Councilmen, Dan Fitzpatrick and Paul Virciglio contacted Chris, with the idea of creating a group to preserve and maintain the park. Around that time Larry Brethauer had also contacted Chris offering his support to help get his Christian Youth Group started. Eventually, the four agreed to a meeting. Jonathan Pope and Eric Rutherford (who worked for the Saginaw YMCA at that time) also came to the meeting. Dick Garber, Tom Webb, Tom Mudd and Dan Kenel joined the others at that first meeting. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the group Friends of Hoyt Park was created and signed a 99-year lease with the city to operate and maintain the beautiful old park.
And now all that hard work has paid off, with the Friends of Hoyt Park reviving ice-skating at this iconic and spacious setting after a 10-year hiatus. Indeed, park officials are gearing up for a special day of skating events entitled Bringing Back the Ice that is sponsored by Dow Chemical and hosted by PRIDE In Saginaw, The Friends of Hoyt Park and the City of Saginaw with Free Open Skating & Sledding events that are scheduled to kick-off on Saturday, January 19th with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 3:30 PM and additional events that include a school skate, a pond hockey tournament, and a skate with a Saginaw Spirit hockey player day, ending with a Youth Sledding & Family Skate Day on Saturday, February 16th.
According to Jeanne Conger of PRIDE, memorabilia from early skating days at Hoyt will be on display, along with an appearance by Florence Wrona, half of the legendary Wrona Sisters Speed Staking duo. Inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame, Florence was called Saginaw's Speed Skating Queen after she won the 440-yard dash at the 1945 National Outdoor Speed Skating Championship in St. Paul, Minnesota. Additionally, dedication of the renovated warming house will also take place and the warming house will be open during scheduled events with free hot chocolate and cookies.
“There will be free skating lessons on February 9th during Family Skate from 11-1PM,” adds Conger, “and all of this is made possible thanks to our key sponsors, Dow Chemical, Meijer, and MacDonald Broadcasting.”
The Friends of Hoyt Park formed in 2008, initially setting its sights on bringing summer baseball back to the historic park. With the 1,800-square-foot warming house now operational after a $400,000 renovation, the beauty of this recreational landmark is now fully poised to flourish.
Brethauer says plans are still in the works to provide rental skates and other equipment at the park. He said Friends of Hoyt Park is hoping a combination of donations from the community and local businesses will make that possible this year.
As an effort to create a historical display in the park's warming house, Friends of Hoyt Park is looking for anyone with photographs or memorabilia from Hoyt Park's history.
Anyone interested in donating memorabilia or equipment or for more information about Friends of Hoyt Park, contact Brethauer at 989-284-0945 or lsbdmb@chartermi.net.
Visit the group's website or Facebook page for more information and to find out about upcoming activities at the park.
info@review-mag.com
989-780-4162
Jan 10, 2013
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