If anyone gets a county or local government 'round here to foot the bill for
this, I will personally show up and dance in the park.

A guy's gotta celebrate somehow, even if I can't really play chess anymore....


William Manekas <WGManekas@...> wrote:


Maybe Hackettstown NJ should get a Chess Park,
maybe at/near the Hackettstown Communiy Center,
or maybe at/near the Centenary College.


From: Bill Manekas
To: Daytona Beach CC, Deland CC, Jacksonville CC
Subject: Chess Park in Deland, FL
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:26:03 -0400

I have forwarded the Deland Chess Park article in the Sunday News-Journal, as a
link and as text, herein, to you just as information.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Neighbors/West/wvlV0104\
2008.htm
------- My Summary -------
The Deland Chess Park which will feature 10 ChessBoard-topped tables nestled
below a canopy of trees.
DeLand architect Alan Paul Cajacob, who added the project should take nine
months to complete.
DeLand's park will include a giant chessboard and accompanying large chess
pieces made from a plastic or glass fiber material.
Cajacob said the board will be 64 square feet. The pieces will be approximately
2-feet tall.
Another key feature is a water wall, which designers hope will help drown out
noise from DeLand's busy downtown streets.
------- Originally appeared on News-Journal Online at -------
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Neighbors/West/wvlV0104\
2008.htm
April 20, 2008
Next move for DeLand chess park: Construction
By RON WHITE
Correspondent
DELAND -- The Scarlett and Jordan law office building spent nearly a century on
Indiana Avenue, nestled against the northeast corner of the old Volusia County
Courthouse. In late March, that relationship came to an abrupt end.
Sanford-based Shoemaker Construction Company demolished the 1920s building,
which had been most recently used by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office for
records storage.
Now, Shoemaker Construction is just days away from beginning the construction of
the long-anticipated chess park.
"In a few weeks, we'll actually start the construction," said DeLand architect
Alan Paul Cajacob, who added the project should take nine months to complete.
"It will probably be completed in October," said Cajacob. "It'll be a great
addition to DeLand. A lot of things came together to make it happen. The county
needed to take the building down and decided they wanted to do something
positive with the space."
County officials asked Cajacob, who has been an architect in DeLand for more
than 30 years, if he could design a use for the land after the building was
removed.
"A chess park is what we came up with, and everyone seemed to love the idea,"
said Cajacob, who is an occasional chess player.
The park, which will feature 10 chessboard-topped tables nestled below a canopy
of trees, will offer some nods to the building that once occupied the lot.
Cajacob said workers salvaged two decorated entrances to the Scarlett and Jordan
building.
"They'll be used for the entrances to the public bathroom building," he said.
Cajacob said public bathrooms were added at the city's request. The city is
contributing $200,000 to the $1.2 million project to cover the cost of the
bathrooms, and Cajacob said city workers will be responsible for their
maintenance.
Workers also removed architectural pieces from the masonry of the building and
plans are to include them in the walls of the park.
Despite the use of walls, Cajacob said the park will be visible from both New
York and Indiana avenues.
Volusia County Facilities Director Fred Schwenck said $500,000 of the total cost
is being paid by a Volusia County Environmental, Cultural, Historical and
Outdoor (ECHO) grant. The remaining $500,000 is covered by the county's general
fund, from which funds were allocated last year.
Cajacob said the park concept has gained worldwide acclaim among chess players
and their organizations. DeLand's park will include a giant chessboard and
accompanying large chess pieces made from a plastic or glass fiber material.
Cajacob said the board will be 64 square feet. The pieces will be approximately
2-feet tall.
Another key feature is a water wall, which designers hope will help drown out
noise from DeLand's busy downtown streets.

Cajacob said work will be done to the old courthouse building, too. Workers will
address the area of the building once covered by the Scarlett and Jordan
building.
While some are excited by the prospect of change, John W. Turner said he's
saddened by the demolition of the building he worked in for several years as
Volusia County's property appraiser. He spent later years viewing it from a
different perspective -- from John's Coins, his coin shop just across the street
from the historic structure.
"I hated to see that old building go," said Turner, who's from Emporia and spent
time as a youth in downtown DeLand. "I used to look over there and see it all
the time. It was a landmark, but I guess it had to be done." © 2008 News-Journal
Corporation. ® www.news-journalonline.com. Do not republish or distribute
without permission.
----------------------------------------------------------. . . . .

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