Baers Help Nyack Rebuild Memorial Park Playground With Large Donation

Jo and Peter Baer no longer live in Nyack, but they continue to make an impact on the community they love.

The couple, which now lives in Chapel Hill, NC, took part in building playgrounds in Nyack over the years including the one in Memorial Park, so they were saddened to hear that much of its equipment had to be taken down due to unsafe materials.

"It broke my heart when I heard they had to take it down," Jo Baer said "We lived in Nyack for 40 years. Nyack was our passion. It's really our home.

"It's been bothering me a lot trying to think of some way to do something."

What they did was commit to a large enough donation to help the Nyack Park Conservancy reach the phase one goal of raising $100,000, which was announced at the fundraiser Saturday, and hopefully with some money left over for other improvements to the park.

"What we intend to do is a generous amount," Jo Baer said. "We think our donation is generous enough that for sure the playground can be finished. 

"We are not rich. We are comfortable," said Peter Baer. "We can make a contribution in five figures that we can have a huge impact that is meaningful not only to us, but to Nyack and to the children there. The whole community. It's right on target with what Jo and I have in mind when it comes to giving, to make sure something happens to the community that is of lasting impact."

Nyack Park Conservancy President Nancy Weber said Wednesday they were still tallying up the donations from Saturday's fundraiser,which drew approximately 200 people at $95 per ticket, and stressed that the $100,000 for the playground is only phase one of the project, so they are still looking for donations.

"We have a certain amount of money pledged," Weber said. "I hope we can get across the point that everybody is owning a piece of this whether they donate $10 or $10,000. It's coming together to make the playground. It's awesome and that is a great moment.

"I've watched many initiatives swell and get support, then turn into nothing. To be part of something that is actually going to happen and happen so quickly is just amazing."

She said the Nyack Park Conservancy just reformed for this project earlier this year, so reaching that phase one goal was exciting to all involved. She acknowledged the importance of what the Baers were able to do to help make that happen.

"It is so generous and I know Nyack is very important to them," Weber said. "It's amazing to be able to do that."

"There are a bunch of people involved," Jo Baer said. "It's been a community effort from the very beginning. That we could make a big difference about something we are so much about is just fabulous."