MEXICO — Wayne Sevigny, the new Mexico Recreation Department director, is leading a group of volunteers in fixing up the recreation park, where he has started a soccer program.

On Friday, workers were  resurfacing fields, tearing down an old dugout, and preparing a new soccer field near the snack shack.

“Old pylons were removed, and we are hoping to build a new dugout and bleachers,” Sevigny said.

Puiia Lumber Co. is donating supplies for the dugout. Whites Yardworks of Rumford was providing labor and supplies to resurface and hydro-seed the softball fields.

Bill Millidge and Mike Perry, residents of Mexico, were also on hand Friday helping to improve the park.

In the short time Sevigny has been director he has started a soccer program at the park. In a statement read at the selectmen’s meeting last week, he said the overwhelming number of volunteers and parents who have helped start the program is outstanding.

The program has more than 100 children participating, with practices on Wednesdays and Saturdays and games scheduled on the weekends. Sevigny has raised more than $2,300 for the department through the soccer program.

Todd Wardwell, chairman of the Mexico Recreation Board, said Sevigny is doing a great job and has a lot of work ahead of him.

The director’s paid position is for 20 hours a week and the budget is $30,000 a year, Wardwell said.

“We need a lot of community support for the department to keep going,” he said.

The department has created a Facebook page titled the River Valley Recreation Center.

Sevigny said his ultimate vision for the department is a state-of-the-art sports facility to be built at the park.

“I’d like to see a facility with a walking track, indoor pool, just something for all ages,” he said.

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