Running event planned

A local community center is planning Hudson Family Park’s first event.
The Jay Community Center plans to hold a Hudson Family Park half-marathon and 5K event Oct. 2.
Carolyn Carducci of JCC told the Portland Park Board Tuesday night that she would like to hold the event every year on the first Saturday of October. Park board members gave permission for the event to be held at the park, despite the ongoing construction.
Phase IV of the park project — which includes a ticket booth/concession stand/restroom building for the amphitheater, work on the amphitheater stage, a playground, a picnic shelter and additional trails — began last week.
Carducci said the event will be held on the paved areas in the park, and may have to include some alternate routes because of the construction.
Jeff Bailey, a local running enthusiast, said he is hoping to have 200 runners participate in the event. A half-marathon is 13.1 miles and a 5K is 3.1 miles. Walkers are welcome, but there is a four-hour time limit for the half-marathon.
In a related matter, Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier announced that the sledding hills at the park won’t be dismantled as part of phase IV construction. He has received phone calls from some concerned citizens. A small portion of the smaller sledding hill is being used for construction, he said.
In other business Tuesday, park board members learned that admissions to the Portland pool are up this year.
Rachel McKee, pool manager, said there has been “really good attendance this summer.”
She said general admission and swimming lessons are up, and pool rentals have doubled, compared to last summer.
McKee added that the Breakfast Optimist Club recently donated $2,000 for the free swim days. Anyone can swim for free each Monday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The pool will be closing early each day next week at 4:30 p.m. because of the Jay County Fair, she said.
Also Tuesday, assistant street and park department superintendent Doug Blankenbaker said the new slide has been installed at Haynes Park.
Also, the new backstop has been installed at Runkle-Miller Field. Blankenbaker said the Portland Rockets have played three games since the new backstop was installed, and that the team loves it.[[In-content Ad]]