Yvette Yeager Parks and Recreations Director

GENERAL INFORMATION
The Greenville Park Commission has a staff of seventeen full time employees and four part time employees. We are responsible for the maintenance and day-to-day operation of nineteen parks, three recreation centers, a community center, a swimming pool, an eighteen-hole golf course, eight tennis courts, eleven baseball fields, and eight softball fields. We have continued to work with our local schools offering sports programs for the area youth. We have a peewee and elementary flag football league, and a peewee, elementary boy’s and girls, and 13 to 16 year old boy’s basketball league that are run through the local schools.



In addition to these programs, there are several independent leagues and schools that utilize the Greenville Park Commission facilities. The Men’s Independent Basketball League, the Greenville Dixie Youth Baseball Association, the Dizzy Dean Baseball Association, the Men’s Independent Slow Pitch Softball League, and the Men’s Independent Fast Pitch Softball League. The Greenville Tennis Association utilizes the tennis courts at Ward’s Recreation for youth and adult tennis programs. St. Joseph, Riverside, Greenville Weston, and O’bannon Schools use our softball fields as their home field. St. Joseph and Greenville Weston use our tennis courts as their home court. Greenville Weston, St. Joseph, Gentry, and Mississippi Valley State University use our golf course as their home course.
The Greenville Park Commission generated $268,500.90 in revenue for the 2005/2006 fiscal year. This was a decrease of the revenue collected for the 2004/2005 fiscal year of $294,985.68 (see attached revenue comparison).

THE HISTORY OF THE GREENVILLE PARK COMMISSION
The recreation program in Greenville stands as a monument to the dreams of a Group of civic minded citizens who banded together to hold a valuable piece of property off the market and turn it into a Recreation, Religious, and Educational Center.
It began back in 1947 when the Greenville Golf and Country Club decided to expand. This decision threw a beautifully landscaped area in the heart of the City on the market. A group of ten civic minded men formed a Non-Profit Corporation and bought the property complete with club house and swimming pool and began to sell sections of it to churches, schools, and for recreational purposes.



Twenty acres of the property was sold to the School Board and a million and a quarter dollar high school was erected. Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches bought tracts and erected handsome places of worship surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens.
The City Park Commission built a hundred thousand dollar swimming pool adjacent to the Community Center that had been established in the old club house. The Corporation sold off these pieces of property for only enough profit to clear Titles, after all the property was sold and there was no expense of clearing titles, the remainder of the sales money was donated to the Park Commission to build a youth baseball field, after which the Corporation was dissolved.




In another part of town, the late Mr. Joe Strange gave three acres on which he constructed a three thousand eight hundred dollar wading pool, a seven thousand eight hundred dollar community playhouse, and two hard surface tennis courts that are also used for skating and dancing built at a cost of six thousand eleven dollars. Mr. Strange also equipped the playground.

The Lions Club learning of the need of a playground in another area of the city, raised two thousand dollars. The sum matched by the Kiwanis, Rotary, VFW, and American Legion Clubs, and a park area was purchased and equipped.
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The Kiwanis Club also built three wading pools on existing playgrounds at a cost of over five thousand dollars. A group of negro citizens, reading and hearing about the parks being built and equipped by Civic groups, got together and raised over seven thousand dollars to equip a park for negro children.
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The Junior Woman’s Club purchased an old un-used merry-go-round and after repairing it, turned it over to the City of Greenville to be placed on park property and used by all the children of Greenville.
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LIST OF PARK PROPERTY
Archer Park – .97 acres -In 1947 the Archer Estate donated .97 acres of land, to the Greenville School System for the purpose of constructing a school. The manager of the estate was former mayor of Greenville, Mr. George Archer. The land proved not to be large enough for school construction purposes, and was then donated to the City of Greenville for the purpose of a play area. The park area is located between Shelby, Percy, Hinds, and Johnson Streets. On June 29, 1948, the Kiwanis club dedicated a wading pool, but with the changing times, the Park Commission was not able to keep this pool supervised and the wading pool was later filled in. This area has playground equipment, basketball courts, and a pavilion.
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Buster Brown Community Center – 6.39 acres – This building was donated by the Greenville Country Club in November 1969. It is currently the office for the Park Commission. This building is rented out for events, such as weddings, receptions, family reunions, birthday parties, and meetings. It is also used as a voting precinct. There is a baseball field at this location that is used by Greenville Dixie Youth South for the 9-10 year old league.
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Bobby Henry Memorial Pool – This pool is located on the same property as the Buster Brown Community Center. It was named for one of Greenville’s native sons who was serving with the U. S. Marines in the Pacific during World War II, and was killed. He was honored with the Purple Heart and several other distinguished metals for outstanding bravery. This pool underwent major construction and design in the fall of 1989. The pool’s deep end was changed from 10’ to 5’ 6” and completely painted in 1986 and again in 1989.
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Strange Park – 3.34 acres – On January 30, 1943, Joseph E. Strange, a former president of the Park Commission, in memory of his deceased brother, John Quincy Strange, donated 3.34 acres to the City of Greenville to be used for a park and playground. This area has playground equipment and a basketball court.
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Amy Covington Center and Park – 4 acres – The Amy Covington Playground and Gymnasium now stands of Hernando Street between Clay and Elm Streets, in the site that was once old Number Four School. The school was last used in 1948. The land was given to the City of Greenville in 1953, who in turn gave the property to the Greenville Park Commission and a playground and gymnasium were built. The park is named for Miss. Amy Covington, a school teacher, and was dedicated by Dr. White the first president of Itta Bena Vocational College, which is now known as Mississippi Valley State University. This area has a gymnasium, playground equipment, and pavilion. It is also used as a Weed and Seed site.
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Maude Bryan Park – 4.063 acres - The property was conveyed to the City of Greenville to be used for park and playground area on July 31, 1952. This park was named for Miss. Maude Bryan, who for many years was a school teacher. This park was dedicated in 1953 by Lt. Governor Carroll Gartin. This area has playground equipment, basketball court, horseshoe and volleyball pits, pavilion, concession/restroom, and a ball field. The field is used by Greenville Dixie Youth West for the 7-8 and 9-10 year old leagues.
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Leroy Barnes Park – On April 14, 1971 it was agreed that the City of Greenville swap 4.293 acres of land for 4.219 acres belonging to the school. On May 14, 1971 a motion was made by Mr. Sam Neyman, Jr. that the area now known as Leroy Barnes Park be constructed. A ball field and lights, playground equipment, and a basketball slab were built at a cost of $45,000.00 for this park. This park is named for Mr. Leroy Barnes in honor and appreciation for his working for over fifteen years with the Little League Baseball group. This area has a basketball court, playground equipment, and ball field. This field is used by the Greenville Dixie Youth West for the 11-12 year old league.
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Bologna Tennis Courts – These tennis courts were built in 1975 with revenue sharing money. They were resurfaced this past June with grant money from USTA, and matching funds from the City of Greenville. There are also two tee ball field located at this location that is used by Greenville Dixie Youth South.
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Emmet Harty Park – 13.2 acres – This Park located at Causey Drive and Fairview Street was purchased on July 21, 1910, by the City of Greenville from the Delta Fair Association, for $4,950.00. This property was purchased under the single covenant that the said tract of land would be “held maintained, and kept open by said City of Greenville for the purpose of a playground park.” The Park was named for Judge Harty, to show the city’s appreciation and recognition to a man who was a leader in the recreational activities of the City of Greenville. This park has playground equipment, pavilion, restrooms, half mile walking/jogging trail, volleyball and horseshoe pits, concession, and ball field. This field is used by Greenville Dixie Youth South for the 7-8 year old league.
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Ward’s Recreation Center – 20 acres – On January 24, 1969 the County deeded to the City of Greenville the area known as the Fairgrounds for the purpose of constructing a park. The park was named for Mr. Elwyn M. Ward, a man who worked diligently for the development and improvements of the park system. Mr. Ward retired in 1968 after serving for twenty years as the Director of the Greenville Park Commission. This location has a gymnasium, six tennis courts, five adult softball fields, three youth softball fields, two concession stands, and a playground area, horseshoe and volleyball pits.
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E. M. Gray Park – 7.091 acres - On September 26, 1960, Quarto Sabbatni sold the area of land that is now E. M. Gray Park to the City of Greenville for $10,665.95. The park is named for E. M. Gray, a formed mayor of Greenville, and former member and first president of the Greenville Park Commission. This location has playground equipment, concession/restrooms, and a ball field. This field is used by Greenville Dixie Youth South for the 11-12 year old league.
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Emmett Thomas Park – 2 acres – In November 1948 the City of Greenville bought 2 acres of land to be used for park and playground purposes only. The park is name for Judge Emmett Thomas, former mayor of Greenville. This location has playground equipment.
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Frisby Park – 20 acres - This property was originally purchased by the City of Greenville and given to Greenville Mills. In October 1968, Greenville Mills deeded back 20 acres of the land with the stipulation that the property be used for school and recreational purposes only. In November 1968, the Greenville Public Schools and the Park Commission swapped land, and the Park Commission received the 20 acres to construct a playground. In July 1969, this property was dedicated to one of Greenville’s well known doctors, Dr. Noble Frisby. This area has playground equipment, volley ball pit, three ball fields, concession stand, and restrooms. These fields are used by Greenville Dixie Youth North for the tee-ball and 7-8 year old leagues.
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Henry T. Crosby Park – On December 9, 1954, Henry T. Crosby donated to the City of Greenville the area of land which is now a park which bears his name. This location has playground equipment and a basketball goal.
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Virden Park – 2.7 acres – On April 14, 1972, Mr. Michael Virden of Virden Homes donated this land to be used as a park site. At the time of this donation this property was located in the county and could not be developed by the City of Greenville. After being annexed in the City of Greenville, this park was developed in 1988-89. This location has playground equipment.
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Greenville Municipal Golf Course – The Greenville Park Commission acquired the golf course on November 13, 1964. The golf course 1st nine holes were built by the U. S. Government in 1940 when they first opened the Air Base. They were improved again in 1950-51 when Pilot Training Command took over the Air Base. The second 9 holes were added in 1965 by the Greenville Park Commission. The new club house and irrigation system were installed in 1991 with City Bond Revenue monies.
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Hemphill/Moore Neighborhood Park – On May 6, 1960 Mr. Henry T. Crosby, President of the Traders Post, Inc. sold all of lots one, two, and three of Block Seven of the Broadway Place Sub-division to the City of Greenville for ten dollars, to be used for playground and park purposes only. This location has a backstop, playground equipment, horseshoe pit, and basketball court.
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Round’s Park and Gymnasium – 24 acres – On August 12, 1960 Robert O. May, President of May’s Wholesale Dry Goods Company, sold approximately 24 acres of land to the City of Greenville for $25,000.00. The neighborhood gymnasium was built in 1968. This location has a gymnasium, playground equipment, basketball court, volleyball pit, concession/restroom, and two ball fields. The fields are used by Greenville Dixie Youth North for the 9-10 and 11-12 year old leagues.
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H. B. Theobald Park – This Park on Nelson and Popular Streets had always been known as Cemetery Park. In December 1974 the Park Commission changed the name of this park to the H. B. Theobald Park in memory of this family who had given so much to the City of Greenville.
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Schelben Park – This Park was acquired by the Park Commission on January 16, 1970. The pavilion was added in July of 1997. This location has a stage area, swings, and benches.
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Please report any violations to the Parks Commission office at 662-378-1670.