Story
A small public park that had fallen into disrepair is located at the intersection of Mill Street and Center Street in Ellenville. In March 2024, Noelle Fries began organizing through email and Zoom conversations with COFFE members, laying the groundwork for what would become a transformative community project.
During initial site visits and conversations with local residents, Fries discovered a park needing attention. As she later told the Shawangunk Journal, "I was looking for a place to have a community garden." Her assessment revealed significant safety concerns: "There were no steps at all up to the pavilion. There is a three-foot drop on one side. It was not accessible to a lot of people."
The project gained momentum through an unexpected connection. Johnny Frost introduced Fries to Kane Gonzales, who began coordinating with local builders. This partnership proved crucial, bringing in professional expertise from P.A.S. Building & Design and Rainbow Home Improvement.
While securing these partnerships, Noelle worked on gathering community support. Mayor Evan Trent and the Coalition of Forward-Facing Ellenville (COFFE) committed to two weekend repair days. The local business community responded enthusiastically: Cohen's donated pastries, Peter's Market provided chips and water, Walmart contributed $50 per day, both Arianna's and Dominick's supplied pizza, and Dunkin' provided donuts. Slutsky Lumber made a substantial contribution of about $1,200 worth of wood, while Ace Hardware donated $100 worth of paint and brushes.
The first work day, September 14, brought together an impressive showing of about 30 volunteers, including local contractors who brought their own tools. The work was organized into three teams: one focusing on park benches, another on the pavilion structure, and a third on the roof. Among the volunteers was Minnie, a grandmother whose family had lived in the area for generations, along with her grandsons Mo and [name withheld], representing the deep community roots of the project. The town of Ellenville supported the effort by providing a dump truck, essential for removing debris and transporting materials.
The second work day, September 28, brought together another dedicated group that included Noelle Fries, a local roofer, and Aiden D'aste from P.A.S. Building & Design, Alexander Hackney from Flowering Sun Ecology Center, Kane from SowOneGoodSeed, and local resident Mo. Minnie continued her support by providing refreshments. Mayor Evan Trent made a brief visit to check on the progress, demonstrating the town's ongoing commitment to the project. Rob Vongerichten from Ellenville Little League also joined the effort. The crew worked diligently from 1 PM to 6 PM, completing crucial tasks, including installing new plywood, preparing and reshingling the roof, and finishing the stairs and bench repairs.
The results speak for themselves: completely new benches were installed, the pavilion roof was renovated, proper access stairs were built, and the space was thoroughly cleaned. The park now stands as a safe and welcoming community space, with new, freshly painted benches replacing the old, deteriorating ones.
The transformation of Mill Street Park stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together. While Fries still hopes to realize her original vision of a community garden, the project has already succeeded in creating something perhaps even more valuable: a restored sense of community pride and cooperation in Ellenville. The initiative demonstrates the power of volunteerism in the village, suggesting this might be just the beginning of community-led improvements in Ellenville.