Noxon ship sails to Trout Creek Park

Since the first week in May, the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) has been converting the old Pilgrim Park playground ship into a new playset for the Trout Creek Community Park."When this came along, I don't think we knew how much work it would be," TCCIA board chair Liz Stender said when the ship arrived at the Trout Creek Park. "Luckily we have a great group of volunteers who didn't mutiny!" cracking a seaworthy joke. According to her, through the project, many of these sailor themed puns were told.

As part of a great Sanders County playground switch, a local nonprofit, Project ASCENT, is working with Avista to put a new playground in at Pilgrim Park, replacing the ship. That ship was to be "scuttled", but the TCCIA was looking to put in their own playground. They contacted Avista who donated the old playset to Trout Creek.

"They say it takes a village," said Stender, speaking about all the groups that donated time and supplies to finish the project. The ship was towed to Trout Creek by Pardee Excavating, at no charge to the TCCIA, and it has been refurbished using wood donated by Thompson River Lumber. Sorlie Excavating did the site preparation and Traver Excavating donated the vegetation barrier. "It has been a chore, but it has also been very sweet," continued Stender.

"It definitely was a lot more work than we anticipated," TCCIA vice president Debb McNary added.

The new playset is being called the Bob Green Memorial Playground, after the man that gave so much to the park and passed away from COVID-19 last year. Green was on the TCCIA board and was the park caretaker for 13 years.

Stender's son, Colton Wormwood, worked with his shop teacher, Bill McGuire of Thompson Falls, to create a metal sign for the playground. The sign features an elk and a bass as an ode to the honoree of the memorial, who was an avid outdoorsman. "It is hard to say exactly how many man hours have gone into this, but it is hundreds," said Stender.

The TCCIA is planning a grand opening in the middle of July. The playground will be open before the Fourth of July, although there are still some finishing touches to be made. The ship still needs a new paint job, and a wheel for the helm.