Playground open in Trout Creek

The Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA) opened the new playground they have been working on for the last couple months. The Bob Green Memorial Playground unveiling brought more than 50 visitors to the park. According to TCCIA Board Chair Liz Stender, there was a lot of work and love put into it. "It looked like a shipwreck, leaning to its side, when we first got it," said Stender.

The new pirate ship-themed playground was revitalized from Noxon and donated to the Trout Creek Park by Avista. The vessel was christened "Bobbin' Trout" after Bob Green, the caretaker of the park who passed away last year from COVID-19. The name came from Don Manning, who helped refurbish the ship. The title is featured on the stern, along with some representative art which was done by Heather Shaw, a local resident. She is in a girl's walking group, which stopped by and asked when the new playground was going to be installed. Shaw created the art in the Trout Creek School bathrooms and was afterwards contacted by Stender to do the art on the Bobbin' Trout. It took her a week, working a couple hours a day, since the heat affected her paint.

"The park wouldn't look the way it does without Bob," said Stender. According to Bob's wife, Sandy Green, he volunteered over 20 years cleaning and maintaining the park. The couple moved to the area from Helena in 1989. "It was his one thing: I want a playground for the kids before I die," Sandy explained that she had heard this from him several times before his passing.

During the unveiling of the sign, which was made by Stender's son Colton Wormwood in shop class, Sandy broke into tears of joy. "He's with us, believe me. Oh, he'd be so happy," said Sandy. Before the sign was unveiled, Sandy spoke about what the playground would mean to Bob and to her. "He'd be embarrassed for the attention, but he'd be thrilled," she said.

Refreshments and baked goods were served to the guests, and pirate booty, including eye patches, mustaches, jewelry and more, were handed out to the kids.