"The way to create a neat place and to create a community that everybody wants to be in is for everyone to write a love note to your city, which I interpret as to do something which you think is cool, you think is interesting, and try to make that happen," said City Council member Rick Smiley, who spearheaded the project. "If everybody will chip in their piece, then we'll have something that's really vibrant and really interesting. My piece was this."

The park features two 12'x12' chessboards on a concrete playing surface. Citizens can use their Sheppard Memorial Library card to check out chess or checkers game pieces to play. The library also offers books on chess and indoor playing boards, including a "chess teacher" that explains how each piece can be moved.