New Friends for Harmon Field

Harmon Field needs friends.

Polk County’s one and only multi-purpose park facility has come a long way in the last decade, with numerous improvements and expansions. But there are certainly many more improvements that might be made, if money and public enthusiasm were brought to bear.
That’s where the Friends of Harmon Field can help.

Benny Smith, chairman of the Harmon Field Board of Supervisors, proposed a non-profit corporation be formed to assist Harmon Field in every way, from volunteer clean-up and maintenance days to fundraising for improvement projects. That proposal was approved unanimously last week by the other board members, Karen Killough, Frank Ortiz, Tom Foster and Bennie Goodwin.

The Town of Tryon and Harmon Field board are now taking names of area residents, and a meeting to form the Friends organization will be held in the near future.

The Harmon Field board has exercised a fine stewardship of the field’s special tax district revenues, using these for operations and maintenance. With the help of the Town of Tryon administration, Harmon Field has also won state parks grants and donations for projects, most notably the purchase of the old Tryon Middle School property and former library, now the Harmon Field Community Center. The Hendersonville YMCA is considering placing a YMCA branch at Harmon Field to offer recreational programming, day care and in later phases, perhaps a pool.

In addition to helping establish those facilities at Harmon Field, a Friends group might bring tangible community backing to projects such as a suggested water park “splash pad” or a beach along the river, or perhaps simply a water fountain at the tennis courts.

The library, hospital and Tryon Fine Arts Center have all benefited greatly from a group of Friends. Harmon Field will certainly benefit as well. — JB