Late Councilman's Passion for Rec to be Celebrated at Plaque Ceremony

When a plaque for Don Links is unveiled Saturday afternoon near the flagpoles at the Madison Recreation Center, the Madison Recreation Advisory Committee hopes to see plenty of young athletes in attendance.

Scheduled for 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. rain or shine, the ceremony is meant to celebrate the time, effort and passion the former councilman, who died in July after a battle with ALS, put into the facility off Ridgedale Avenue.

Links's wife, Joanne, and their 13-year-old twins are expected to attend the unveiling, and the committee hopes the community can show overwhelming support in the form of an extremely large gathering, organizers said.

Links coached youth sports and advocated for the installation of artificial turf fields at the Madison Recreation Center. He made completing the fields project a priority while he served on the borough's governing body.

As the fields were being designed and built, Links met weekly with the borough engineer. When the finished project, which opened in Spring 2012, received a construction award, the engineer, Bob Vogel, dedicated it to Links.

"We simply ask that if your children use the facility, you give 60 minutes of your Saturday to recognize a man and his family’s commitment to Madison sports," a Recreation Advisory Committee announcement posted on the school district website says.

Food and drinks will be available at the Hut.

The plaque will be installed on a rock near the flagpoles at the rec complex. Friends hoped to show Links the recognition, but did not have the chance.