Robbie Mills complex dedicated

"Out of the worst of times good things happen," said former NH Attorney General and city resident Philip McLaughlin on Saturday morning as 100 or more people gathered for the dedication of the Robbie Mills Sports Complex on Meredith Center Rd.

Lined up along the first and third baselines were teams representing Laconia and Hanover high schools, ready to play an inaugural double-header. Just above home plate a speaker's podium was in place and leaning against the front of the podium was a blue Diamondback Viper bicycle.

The bike was not mentioned during a series of short remarks, but it was on everyones mind for it was for want of that particular bike that the park's 14-year-old namesake was murdered in the brush between Messer St. and the Winnipesaukee River by two young men on August 2, 1998.

Robbie Mill's parents — Wendy Mills and Bob LaPierre — were given the honor of throwing out simultaneous, ceremonial first pitches.

In the years since her son's death, Wendy Mills has often commented on her son's love for sports and Saturday, looking out over the new green baseball field, concession stand and soccer field she said, simply, "He'd love this. . .let's play ball."

Mayor Mark Fraser, who served as host for the event, noted that it took seven years for the complex to become a reality but no one was going to spoil this glorious day by dwelling on the political wrangling that was its genesis and, later, delayed its opening.

The new sports complex sits on land that is owned by the state, but leased to Laconia for 100 years as the result of an attempt to soothe the city's feelings when then Gov. Jeanne Shaheen and the Legislature took back a commitment to close the nearby Lakes Region (prison) Facility in 1998. Instead, among other things, the state promised to give the city use of the land and help construct ball fields on it.

Former Mayor Matt Lahey came up with the idea of naming the complex for Robbie Mills and that announcement was made at his inaugural in January of 2000.

The city put up $500,000 and was expecting to get $800,000 more from the state but it was discovered in 2001 that the Legislature had, in fact, never set aside any money to actually fund its 1998 promise.

Rep. Fran Wendelboe (R-New Hampton) sponsored a bill to fund what eventually amounted to $347,629 — a compromise amount — during the next session of the Legislature and Shaheen signed that bill into law in May 2002.

Shaheen and Wendelboe were both present Saturday. The former governor called the park "a living memorial" before taking Robbie Mill's bike for a brief spin in the parking lot.

Fraser rightfully pointed out that he had the privilege of being Laconia's mayor for the dedication of the Robbie Mills Sports Complex but it was really Lahey "who did all the heavy lifting". Lahey credited Wendy Mills with providing "inspiration" for the project and said the end result "exceeds our wildest expectations".

An uncle of Robbie Mills, Brian Roy, presented the city with an American flag that was raised in both and Iraq and Washington, D.C. to fly from the pole just beyond the centerfield fence.

McLaughlin called Laconia "a small town with a lot of good people".