A daughter's promise is at the heart of Port Clinton's Hopfinger Zimmerman Memorial Park

PORT CLINTON ― For Lorraine Zimmerman, it all started with a promise and a dream.

Zimmerman promised her, Raymond and Delores Hopfinger, before they died that she would not let their 80 acres of farmland fall into the wrong hands.

After they were gone, Lorraine and her husband, Jack Zimmerman, mulled over what to do with the land that once grew soybeans and corn on West Oak Harbor SE Road just south of Port Clinton.

"I woke up one day and said 'I know what I'm going to do, I'm going to build a park,'" Lorraine Zimmerman recalled.

Creating a park

And so, in 2016, Hopfinger Zimmerman Memorial Park was created as a free, safe and beautiful space for families to enjoy on the land her family had cared for during the past 35 years.

The Zimmermans excavated the land, installed a playground set, a few benches, flagpoles and a sign.

Park includes pond, bridge, walking trails

Together they installed walking trails, dug a pond, built a bridge and planted trees to beautify the public space.

The movement caught on and, in 2018, the Toledo Chapter of the Ohio Contractors Association donated time and resources to build a park access road and parking lots for their community service project.

They've used donations to purchase even more playground equipment, pedal boats for the pond, a 2-acre fenced dog park and 40-foot by 60-foot pavilion.

Basketball and pickleball courts, a large sledding hill, ice skating rink, fishing pond, swimming pond and other amenities followed.

Farmers market moving to park

Word has spread, and starting in June the PC Sunday's Farmers Market, once held in downtown Port Clinton, will move to Hopfinger Zimmerman.

"I think it's going to be great," Zimmerman said. "Moms can check out the farmers market and the kids can play on the playground."

On a first-come, first-serve basis, people have held wedding receptions, birthday parties, family reunions and more at the park.

Thousands of people from all over Northwest Ohio have come to Hopfinger Zimmerman, making Lorraine Zimmerman's dreams come true.

With 80 acres, there is plenty of space for more dreams, she said.

"We'll be stocking the pond this year for fishing," she said. "There are two more playground sets coming, too."

They plan to host concerts, a fundraiser auction to help fund the park and will always keep the park free for all to enjoy.

Friends and family have donated their time, skills, and money to help keep things growing.

While the dream for the park was born after her parents had died, Zimmerman said she thought her parents would like what she's done.

"People tell me they must be looking down and be so proud," she said.

Funding still sought

Zimmerman set up a GoFundMe page with a goal of $40,000 for Phase 2 of the park. Search for "Hopfinger Zimmerman Memorial Park-Phase 2.

Checks can be made to "Hopfinger Zimmerman Memorial Park" with the park's address at 4909 W. Oak Harbor SE Road, Port Clinton, OH 43452.

This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: The story behind Hopfinger Zimmerman Memorial Park in Port Clinton OH