Rathdrum Park Getting ‘Big Help’ From Nickelodeon Helpmobile Coming To Town In August

Sat., June 5, 1999

Emily Phillips Staff writer

A park called “grubby-looking” by Rathdrum’s own parks supervisor is about to experience a transformation thanks to at least one kid who entered Rathdrum in a Nickelodeon drawing earlier this year.

The drawing, part of Nickelodeon’s “The Big Help” campaign, was used to select one city in every state for a visit by the “Big Helpmobile,” a 60-foot-long vehicle that serves as a lab to teach volunteerism to kids.

At least one person called a telephone number or wrote a letter to enter Rathdrum in the drawing, but Nickelodeon would not release information about who made the nomination.

The Helpmobile will do a tour of all 50 states with three staff people, helping children and adults clean up their parks.

Jason Sneep, 13, of Rathdrum and David Reed, 12, of Spirit Lake, said they watch “The Big Help” on Nickelodeon and are excited to see the Helpmobile. Both said they will make it to the park to help with the cleanup.

Parks Supervisor Lance Bridges, who has held his newly formed position for only about a month, has been scrambling to get the event organized before the Helpmobile arrives in mid-August.

“We want the community to be proud of this project,” he said.

Bridges chose Stub Myers Park on Montana Street because of its size and location. Bridges said he doesn’t think there’s another park in Rathdrum that could hold a 60-foot-long bus.

The volunteer cleanup of the park will be filmed by Nickelodeon and shown on the cable TV channel.

The park, which was established in 1988 and takes up about a block in a residential area of Rathdrum, now has two baseball diamonds, a basketball court, soccer goals, a small playground, some picnic tables and a gazebo.

While the park is used a lot now, it could be improved and used by more people, said Bridges. Both he and Rathdrum Mayor Tawnda Bromley said playground equipment is a big priority at the park. All that is available now are two small metal jungle gyms and a swing-set.

Trees, flowers, fresh paint, another gazebo and new picnic tables also are planned.

“It (the park) could use some more stuff,” said Sneep, who obviously wasn’t thinking of picnic tables or gazebos. “Like bicycle jumps,” he suggested.

Bridges said he hopes more of Rathdrum’s kids will call him with their ideas, because, he said, the Big Helpmobile is coming to teach and inspire the kids.

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