Spring is coming (please please please, I’m begging!) and while its still early, it brings back to mind Sports Day at Random Island school. Back for the first few years when we went there, every year we’d have a sports day, with races, discus, shot put, and the like. There’d be ribbons, and prizes, and a great time.
The highlight of this was that it was held, at least early in the school’s history at Vardyville Park, also known as Reub’s Farm. To the best of my knowledge, and I can only go from memory of conversations, Reuban Vardy had a farm on this land, which was just over the Britannia road from Hickman’s Harbour. In my day, it was a private park with a store/take out and pinball machine, and a rudimentary ball field (at least I think there was a ball field). I remember fries and hotdogs and snacks throughout the day.
Events tend to run together over the years, and these sports days were in the mid 70’s after all, but I do recall the pinball machine. It cost 10 cents and I’d play what felt like for hours, but of course it wasn’t because I also remember spending a ton of time outside, racing, throwing shot put, and participating (badly) in whatever events we had. And of course, watching Randy Baker and I think Shawn Avery playing stretch with every school boy’s crush, Miss Sargeant.
I’m not sure what became of the park, but in any event, it was a beautiful spot of land, with the rattle in the background, and we as kids had a great time there every year while it was still the host site, and it holds a special memory of my youth.
UPDATE: Added a couple pictures scanned from yearbook.
Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.
I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.
