During the summer of 2013, Mike Harding, a former resident and employee of Rea Park, returned to Terre Haute, IN only to see that Rea Park's historic clubhouse had fallen into disrepair. Mike had served as an assistant superintendent of schools during his career as an Indiana public school administrator, and was aware grants may be available to help the park. He contacted two individuals to see if
they could assist in obtaining funds from various sources for rehabilitating the clubhouse. These two individuals were Scott Williams of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation and Tommy Kleckner of Indiana Landmarks. Over the course of the next several months, these three individuals met with Eddie Bird, superintendent of parks for Terre Haute. In November of 2013, the four agreed to develop a presentation that would be given to the Terre Haute Parks Board at their March, 2014 meeting. This presentation would emphasize the need to restore Rea Park's historic clubhouse, and eventually, renew the entire park. On March 17, 2014, the group met with members of the Terre Haute Parks Board to present their ideas. From this meeting, the parks board gave approval for a new group to work with Superintendent Bird and the Parks Board. Friends of Rea Park, a group modeled off a friends group in Evansville, IN that wanted to save Bosse Field, would now be able to help the city further develop Rea Park. Indiana State Parks Foundation friends group guidelines were looked to as an example of how to organize and manage a friends group for Rea Park. The group continues to work with the TH Parks Board and Department today.
