Meridian officials are scheduled to hold the grand opening of a new neighborhood park Thursday –- named as a tribute to long-time councilman Keith Bird.
The new 7.5-acre Keith Bird Legacy Park is at 3737 W. Lost Rapids Way in the Bainbridge subdivision, off Ten Mile Road, between McMillan Road and Chinden Blvd.
The grand opening is set for November 9 at 2:00 p.m.
The land for the park and a portion of its construction was donated by Brighton Corporation.
“Bird, who will be retiring from the City Council at the end of his current term, completed twenty years of elected public service. His dedication to family is reflected in the park’s design and amenities, which offer multi-generational activities for all ages,” according to Meridian spokesman Robert Simison.
“Naming this park after Keith -- who has been instrumental in the development of our youth, our sports facilities, our parks and our community -- is especially fitting,” said Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Bird and his wife Marjorie have lived in Meridian since 1965. As a strong advocate for youth in the community, he was involved with bringing Y Basketball to Meridian in 1978, helped organize American Legion Baseball in 1979, helped build Mo Brooks Baseball Field in Storey Park in 1982, and has worked with Youth Optimist Football since 1966. Keith was inducted into the Optimist Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
Keith has actively supported and been a member of the Meridian Athletic Association, Meridian Athletic Roundtable Association, Meridian Speedway, Meridian Dairy Show Board, and the Meridian Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of Meridian Centennial Committee in 1993 that raised funds for restoring the Pine Street School and helped plan the celebration of the Meridian Centennial.
He was voted Meridian’s Man of the Year in 1996, and received the Meridian Mayor's Legacy Award in 2009.
Bird will retire from the Meridian City Council in January.
