On a calm evening in June 2015, boats with sturdy sails and brightly colored bows made their way down the waters of Lititz Springs Park. It was not a regatta or a fleet of tall ships. It was a collection of miniature handmade vessels launched by children from Lifespring Fellowship, a church on Lincoln Avenue in Lititz.
The children captained their boats and pushed them along with poles down the park’s watery byways in the church’s annual Boat Race, part of its Splash Zone children’s program.
A quiet evening
Not far off, a young couple sat on the stone wall near the east entrance to the park, the nearby fountain sending water into the air. It was a calm night, with lower humidity bringing welcome relief from a recent stretch of high heat. Another couple relaxed on the steps of the white gazebo, a sea of orange tiger lilies filling the foreground.
A Lititz Borough Police SUV cruised through the park on patrol, while a group of skateboarders and other young people gathered at the edge of the parking lot.
Visitors who appreciate the park
A few weeks earlier, at the end of April, a group of young men from Lebanon had stopped by to ride their bikes in the park. Not long after the Rock Lititz bike race, they were doing stunts across the stream, crisscrossing the water and landing confidently across the bridge.
They had made the trip because their own park, which closes for the winter, had not yet reopened. One of them said simply that their town had no good spots to ride. Taking a break from their tricks, they talked about how much they appreciated Lititz Springs Park and how the Lititz Borough Police had treated them with respect.
That conversation was a reminder of how easy it is to take the park for granted. Lititz residents often do, but for visitors, it is a destination.
Drawn back by memories
The park also draws back people who once lived in Lititz. Former residents, now living elsewhere, often stop by to feed the ducks whenever they are in town.
One such family stopped on their way home after a disappointing day of fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. They redeemed the afternoon by feeding the park’s resident ducks. The beauty, the serenity and the memories they had made in the park over the years had brought them back once again.
Preparing for the Fourth
Speaking of memories, “Everyone leaves with a memory” was the slogan on billboards posted around the park that June. They promoted the upcoming Independence Day celebration, themed “Red, White and Cool.”
Scaffolding for the Fourth of July candle lighting already stretched out over part of the water. The ducks seemed unfazed by the structure above them as they floated along. The Grand Illumination of Candles along Lititz Run is the centerpiece of the town’s Fourth, a tradition stretching back more than 170 years.
Movies under the stars
The park was also preparing for a summer movie series. That Friday night, a free screening of “Herbie the Love Bug,” rated G, was planned, with free admission and refreshments. Families, friends and solo visitors alike were invited to bring a blanket and enjoy the show.
A park for everyone
The evening captured what makes Lititz Springs Park special. In a single walk, a visitor could see children racing homemade boats, young couples enjoying a quiet moment, police officers on patrol, teenagers hanging out, out-of-town riders showing off their skills and families feeding the ducks.
The park remains the heart of community life in Lititz. Its springs, its stone walls, its gazebo and its ducks have been part of countless memories.
On that June evening in 2015, the park was simply doing what it has always done: offering a place for everyone to slow down, enjoy the outdoors and share a little time together.