One of 30 parks in Helena, this park was named after Kay McKenna, whose dream was the
Kay McKenna Youth Foundation a foundation which
manages and raises funds to sponsor a summer program, Kay’s Kids, and other beneficial educational programs for Helena area youth that provide safe, creative, and entertaining recreational activities. Kay was once mayor of Helena, serving in that position from 1991, possibly until her death in 1996, from cancer.
A small neighborhood park just north of downtown Helena, the park's major attraction is its kiddie's playground. The playground consists primarily of a jungle gym style apparatus made of steel and plastic. With several slides, climbing and hanging features make it a fairly interesting object to keep the kiddies occupied for part of an afternoon. While the rest of the park is grassed, the playground area is on a rectangle with what appears to be a base of wood shavings. Nearby are a couple of benches and a couple of picnic tables.
Facing the corner of Getchell and Stuart Streets is the parks's sign, with a large boulder in front. Affixed to the boulder is a plaque dedicated to Kay McKenna, which reads as follows:
Kay McKenna Park
DEDICATED THIS 29TH DAY OF APRIL, 1996
Kay McKenna, teacher and mayor, has been an
ardent advocate for children and recreation in
Helena. It is fitting, therefore, to name a
neighborhood park in her honor, especially this
park located in her own neighborhood. In
recognition of her many accomplishments as
Mayor of Helena, the City Commission dedicates
this park in her honor.
Following are excerpts from
Kay's obituary.
Harriet Ramona “Kay” Koutrelakos McKenna
BIRTH 17 Sep 1937 - Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire, USA
DEATH 5 Oct 1996 (aged 59) - Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
Former Mayor of Helena, Harriet "Kay" Mckenna, 59, was called to the Lord on 05 Oct 1996 at 9:50 am, after a valiant two-year battle with lung cancer. Kay was born on 17 Sep 1937, in Dover, NH, the daughter of Nicholas and Trianthi Koutrelakos. Kay was the youngest of nine children. She graduated from Dover High School in 1955 and attended the University of New Hampshire, where she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority.
On 08 Sep 1957, Kay was married to Robert C. McKenna, of Portsmouth, NH, in St. Thomas Cathedral. She received a BA of Education and a Master of Education Degree from the University of Montana. After teaching at elementary schools in Lolo and Victor, Kay spent many years as an elementary school teacher at Broadwater School in Helena.
In 1985, she became Lewis and Clark County Superintendent of Schools. She served on the State Advisory Board for Special Education, was a member of the Alpha Delta Kappa Educational Sorority, and served on the Educational Advisory Board at Carroll College and the Montana Association of Female Executives. For more than 20 years, Kay served as Vice President and Treasurer of McKenna Associates, a family consulting business.
In 1991, Kay was elected Mayor of Helena after serving several years on the Helena City Commission. She assisted the community on many boards, including President Elect of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors of the United Way, President's Council at Carroll College, Helena Rotary Club, Montana Ambassadors, etc. For many years, Kay was Adjunct Professor of Education at Carroll College, where she supervised student teachers. She was a member of St. Helena Cathedral.
From Find A Grave