Alameda Park shelter rental opening draws early crowd
The Odd Fellows gazebo and the Masonic shelter at Alameda Park were in demand among those who woke up early Friday, Feb. 24, to make sure they got the picnic shelter they wanted on the day they wanted.
About 50 people arrived at the county Government Center for the first day that parks and recreation department staff accepted reservations for park shelters.
“I left at 3 a.m.,” said Debbie Stoutjesdyk, of Brentwood, Allegheny County.
The department uses the public meeting room in the government center to accept reservations in the morning to accommodate the large number of people who want the earliest possible opportunity to rent specific shelters on specific dates.
In the afternoon, the staff returned to the park office — which is too small for the opening morning rush — for reservations.
Arriving at 4 a.m., Stoutjesdyk was the first person in line to reserve a shelter.
For the fourth-consecutive year, Stoutjesdyk has been in charge of reserving the Odd Fellows gazebo on the first Saturday in August for a family reunion. The date is Aug. 5 this year.
She said other family members reserved the shelter for the reunion in previous years. She said she has family in the Cabot area.
The family likes the park and tries to reserve the gazebo because it has a lot of space and is near restrooms.
Tina Horsman’s family has been gathering at the park for reunions for decades, and she got an early start in planning this year’s event.
“I was just a kid when we started,” she said, as she patiently waited to reserve the Masonic shelter for July 29. She said her family has held reunions at the park for 40 to 50 years.
“It’s worth it,” Horsman said, about her early morning arrival to make sure she got the shelter she wanted.
The family likes the Masonic shelter because it is the largest shelter at the park and is near the swimming pool. She said at least 100 people, including some from out-of-town, are expected to attend the reunion.
Jason Turner, of Butler, took the day off from work at Penn United to reserve a shelter for his daughter’s high school graduation party.
He said he is expecting a large turnout for his daughter, Annabelle, who is president of her graduating class at Butler Senior High School and captain of the varsity swim team.
He got in line early to reserve the Odd Fellows gazebo for the June 24 party to celebrate his daughter’s accomplishments in high school and send her off to Westminster College, where she plans to major in secondary education and history, and join the swim team.
Wendy Hooks, of Butler, came to reserve the Masonic shelter to throw a graduation party for her daughter, McKenna.
“We’re ready to celebrate,” Hooks said.
She arrived early to reserve the shelter before the start of her workday at 8:30 a.m. in the Area Agency on Aging office in the government center. She said she received permission to come in late if the reservation process took longer than anticipated.
McKenna plans to study environmental science at PennWest California in Washington County. “There’s been a lot of lasts and firsts this year,” Hooks said. “It’s exciting.”
