A Walk in the Park

by Hattie Foote

I have a controversial confession to make. I don’t love Concert in the Park. I know, I know, what kind of local am I? But the schlepping of supplies and not losing my little kids in the sea of people wasn’t my idea of a quiet Sunday night.

Sidenote: It makes me sweat saying “local.” I have seen many discussions on community social media forums over the years discussing what qualifies you to be considered a local.

Regardless, in my 12 years of living here Concert in the Park just hasn’t been one of my must do activities. But as the saying goes, you don’t know what you have till it’s gone, and boy was everything gone this past year and a half! So, I rallied our best friends, loaded our wagon, put my order in at High Tide, and we were off to rock out.

However, this time was different. I watched as our community laughed and danced and ate and drank. I can’t speak for everyone, but for me it was a newfound appreciation for the things I took for granted. Spreckels Park was shining.

When I set out to first write

this column, my main focus was going to be Concert in the Park. The more I outlined though, the more I kept thinking about Spreckels. It is a constant in our family’s memories. It gave me somewhere to go when I was navigating baby blues and had to get out of the house. We held almost all of my daughter’s birthday parties and have attended so many wonderful celebrations there. We have

watched trees fall and children grow. I have witnessed a devastating medical emergency and people getting married.

This spectacular park holds so many moments, for so many people.

Years ago, my husband Chris and I were at the movies and got a call that there was a “little” problem at his business, Coronado Fitness Club (CFC). We drove back to Coronado and saw that the “little problem” was actually a very, very big problem. Chris had just put in a new floor, and the movers were putting the equipment back in place. The very last piece struck a fire sprinkler and flooded the entire gym. CFC was a fairly new business and we had put every penny we had into it. It was crushing and I panicked, but once we

took a breath, this amazing community worked together, and we got back on our feet. I bring this up, because we were able to use Spreckels for a short-term solution for classes and training while we made a game plan. Fast forward to 2020 when the fitness community had massive restrictions, once again Spreckels was a saving grace for all studios and gyms on the island.

I actually brought my computer to the park today and wrote as my 4-year-old son Hunter played at the playground. I wanted to immerse myself in the location, become one with it.

Just kidding, I didn’t have a babysitter and needed to multitask. Hunter kept running up to me every 2 minutes, making it hard to write. I was starting to feel overwhelmed and guilty, when an angel fellow mom bent down and asked if he would like to play with her daughter. He eagerly accepted and she said, “It looked like you needed to get some work done.” It was just a kind simple gesture that meant the world to me.

I am so grateful for my mom friends I have made by the swings, in the sandbox. I once heard a mom curse when her kid took off running and it made me smile. We laughed and chatted and when it was time to go home, exchanged numbers. It’s truly the best way to feel people out and see if you make a connection. If things get awkward, I guess there is always Tidelands!

It’s apparent that Spreckels is a pretty special place, and we are pretty lucky to have her. Oh, and I am warming up to Concert in the Park. Chris bought me rocking outdoor chairs from Costco that are life changing. I’ll be jamming with my pizza and wine near the playground for the rest of the summer! Rock n Roll!