Waite Park, Family To Honor Herm “Gooner” Bartz

(KNSI) – Waite Park will hold a dedication ceremony Monday for a tribute to Herm Bartz, known to his friends and family as “Gooner.”

Public Works Director Bill Schluenz says his predecessor left a distinguished legacy, particularly on the diamond. “He was the public works superintendent for a great number of years, retiring in 1999. He was an avid supporter for the community in the city. His passion, I know, was baseball.”

Schluenz describes what is planned. “There’ll be a little ceremony honoring him and gifting from his family two large concrete baseballs that will be placed at the entrance to the quad fields in River’s Edge Park.”

Guests are encouraged to arrive at 4:30 with the ceremony starting at roughly 4:45. The concrete baseballs will be located next to the cul-de-sac, where visitors can drop off guests to help cut down on the amount of walking they have. The quad fields are about a quarter mile away from the road.

River’s Edge Park sits on the corner of 3rd Street North and 10th Avenue. In addition to the quad fields, there are a smattering of other diamonds. It serves as the home for Cathedral High School softball. Pickleball, a splash pad, and an outdoor rink are also located there. The Lake Wobegon Trail runs along its northern edge.

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