Marquette Park

Marquette Park has changed a lot through the years. When I was little, we used to call it "Seal Park" because there was a wading pool with a statue of a seal in the center. I seem to remember it being a fountain that splashed water into the pool. That pool is long gone, along with all the other wading pools in the city. A basketball court has also come and gone. Now there's a nice 1/2 mile walking track around the perimeter, benches, a baseball field, a pavilion, some grills and a playground for the little ones. Parks change to meet the changing needs of the community. I like to think that's a sign of a responsive government.

It is a great place to walk but is currently best known as the location for the Italian Festival, which shuts the park down for several days every summer and fills the space with food and activities.

Its full name is "Pauline "Pep" Marquette Park". Pauline Marquette seems to have been an alumna of St. Agnes Academy, maybe from 1931, but I haven't found much about her online. She coached at St. Agnes for at least 2 years.

The picture at the top of the post is from Wikipedia. The picture I took wasn't as good.