By Louis Hoglund
Heres an invention that could prevent a fender-bender, protect junk in your garage, and keep peace in the family.
Its Parks Park Smart, produced in Perham by Wee Willie Enterprises, and the brains behind the unique apparatus is Bill Parks.
How many families gripe at each other over parking in the garage: Youre too close to the wall...too close to the center.....youre too far forward...too far to the back...you smashed my trolling motor....bashed my Schwinn...
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The Park Smart is simple--but darn effective, said Bill Parks. He is a well-known local promoter who has sold real estate, promotional products, served on the Perham council, and is an active member of the Lakes Lions. He retired last October, but is not the type to sit around playing pinochle.
Col. Sanders started at age 72, and thats what I am, said Parks.
The Park Smart concept isnt necessarily new. People have been attaching tennis and ping pong balls to string, and hanging them from the garage rafters for years--in an attempt to establish order. You enter the garage with your vehicle and slowly maneuver into the stall by meeting the tennis ball with the windshield.
What makes Parks creation unique are two features:
1) Tennis balls are boring, said Parks. So, he found some rubbery novelty items with clever face imprints.
2) The kit includes a drawstring designed to adjust easily to the height you need to accurately bring your car into place.
The Park Smarts simple instruction sheet says it best:
----Park the car precisely how you want it in the garage
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----Locate and install eye hook in garage ceiling , approximately in the center of the windshield.
----Snap hook into eye hook.
----Adjust rope so that figure touches windshield dead center.
----Now you are ready to Park Smart every time.
The units will be sold retail, but the biggest potential market is as a promotional item for auto insurance agencies, auto dealerships and other businesses who would want to give Park Smarts imprinted with their business name to customers.
One of his first promotions with the Park Smart is for a regional Lions election, which will be distributed on behalf of a candidate--whose name will be imprinted on the units.
