Mark Christopher Tubbs, son of Jack and Jenny Tubbs, passed away on August 9, 1981 as the result of aplastic anemia. He was 12 years old.

In December of the following year, his maternal grandparents, Red and Virginia Hayes, donated 4.1 acres of their property to the Town and Village of Lima to be developed into a municipal park in memory of Mark.

In 1983, the Lima Recreation Commission took on the task of development and purchase of 10.35 acres from Roger and Marilyn Smith. An easement was obtained from John and Martha Sempowski for a "walkway only" entrance from Elm Street. The main drive-in entrance is off Ziegler Drive.

Between 1983 and 1986, the Recreation Commission and the Red Willison Youth Baseball League held numerous fund raising events to raise the money need to get the park started. They succeeded in raising over $20,000.

The park was dedicated on August 2, 1987.

In 1989, the park driveway is named the "Red Hayes Memorial Drive" following the death of Mark's grandfather.

The basketball court was dedicated to Francis McCombs, in 1991.

Mark's father, Jack, passed away suddenly in 1994. A gazebo was erected in his memory.