Friday morning I pulled up to Crosby Commons, intent on finding out how work was progressing at the city’s newest park.

My visit was prompted by a press release sent from the city announcing that the walking track would return to public service Monday morning.

We’ve been without access to the park since April.

The park has a storied history. Some sources say it was the site of the first high school football game in Picayune, it was once home to the post office, and wagons would stage there many decades ago as the occupants waited for flood waters from the Hobolochitto Creek to recede.

It was also home to the city’s hospital for a number of years.

When Forrest County  Hospital bought the old Crosby Memorial Hospital, plans were set in motion to construct a new facility across town, leaving the landmark building vacant for years.

Rumors circulated about potential buyers of the property and what it would become, but for whatever reason those rumors never turned to fact.

And so, the city bought the property for about $200,000, demolished the building and turned it into a five acre green space in the middle of town. 

The walking track followed, officially opening in November of last year, but was closed the following spring. The good news is that the park is nearly complete, and a soft opening of the track is planned for Monday. You, like I, will be surprised to see that speakers have been installed throughout the walking track for the listening enjoyment of fitness minded residents. Inevitably someone will complain that they don’t like the genre of music playing at any point in time. It’s my hope that the complaints won’t lead to the end of music at the park. After all, we can now carry a device capable of playing any kind of media of your choice.