31 Jan 2022 Active senior creates neighborhood park

By Becky Bell

When Bob Crossman’s five grandchildren outgrew their playsets in his backyard, he had the perfect second home in mind for the equipment.

On his property, he created the Shady Oaks Neighborhood Park on the corner of Steve Street and Sternwheel Drive in Conway. His reason was simple.

“There are no parks nearby that have been an attractive part of the neighborhood,” he said. “Now kids come by and they play.”

Crossman, 68 and retired, said he is “staying busy” by taking care of the park and authoring books.

The retired Crossman Printing business owner and Methodist minister said the park began about two years ago when he decided to build a 6-foot by 15-foot bridge over the creek that flows down into the woods behind his home.

Another idea that quickly followed was hanging a 3-foot-wide swing, which several children could use at the same time, on a 200-year-old oak tree. The tree was one of the primary reasons he and his wife, Marcia, decided to build on the property.

“My oldest son helped me slingshot a fishing line over the limb to put it up,” Crossman said. “The swing is very popular just like it was at church camp.”

Crossman wanted everyone in the neighborhood to know about the swing, so he put a sign welcoming them to use it.

“The next thing I did was build a little arbor with a red double swing where mom and dad could sit and swing while their children played,” he said.

Then, to make his park more enticing to neighborhood families, he installed a brick walkway across the bridge so they could see the goldfish pond.

The park draws about 50 people per week, and Crossman said they have been very good about picking up their trash after birthday parties and other celebrations.

The Shady Oaks owner said no one helped him fund the park and he was glad to do it for the children. He said he knows the families appreciate the park because of their smiles and how they react on the playground.

As an experienced former minister, father of two and grandfather of five, Crossman said he remembers how children need to stay occupied in things that are good for them.

“My long-term concerns are about children who have nothing to do, and they get into trouble,” he said. “This gives them a safe place to be and to entertain themselves, and when you are in the neighborhood next door, the backyards are very small. There is no place to play like I had.”

Other additions to the park have been putting in a volleyball court and a tether ball area. Crossman said he is looking for a soccer goal that a school or a city park is not using so children can practice their skills, as well on the park’s soccer field. There are also two basketball nets, four slides and three playhouses.

He said the people using the park are quick to let him know if something needs attention.

“People are great about picking up, and they tell me when something is broken or loose, and I go out and fix it,” he said. “It’s wonderful. I’m very pleased with that.”

When he is not playing guardian to the park or playing with his two Maltese dogs, Crossman spends his extra time writing.

Crossman is also author to eight books, with the last two about Arkansas history and the previous on the Methodist church. His books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book retailers.