Do you appreciate the current condition of Firestone Park’s gardens, landscaping, and the significant restoration and beautification improvements? If you can answer yes to this question and want to preserve and continue these community assets, we invite you to join us in that preservation. We are seeking citizens of Columbiana and surrounding communities to join us on the Firestone Park Cultural and Custodial Committee (FPCCC) as we endeavor to ensure the continuation of these efforts. The special interest of enlightened and interested citizens is needed to confirm to the city the importance of the park as a significant asset to the community.

The Park’s Present State or Beauty

A substantial amount of money and effort has been expended in bringing the park to its present state of beauty and recognition. In order that this continues, the FPCCC needs additional interested members with a strong commitment to the park to assist with the important role it plays in preserving what has been accomplished so far and plan for the future. Unknown to most of the community, after the dedication of the restored park in 2021, it became the purpose of FPCCC to maintain the park’s improvements now and into the future. We are expending nearly $200,000 yearly to maintain the new plantings, beds and greenery that make the park so attractive and sought out by citizens and visitors alike.

Caring for the Park’s Landscape

When it became apparent to us that the city would not maintain all that had been done in the 10-year restoration, FPCCC, as well as community groups and donors, stepped in to care for the park’s landscape. We believe in the wishes of the Firestones and Alling DeForest, Landscape Architect, to establish an arboretum-like landscape that complements and extends the recreational aspects of the park. To date, not only has the landscaping been attended to, but new cultural aspects of the park are also being developed through the use of the Idabelle Firestone Gathering Place and Garden and its events. Our yearly concerts, gardening workshops and art exposition and sale have grown each year, making the park a cultural center as well as a beautiful outdoor recreational venue.

The Importance of Maintaining

What Has Been Accomplished

My role, as a significant donor, has been and will continue to be important. I have established the Columbiana Community Foundation and FPCCC as managers of the funds. Members of FPCCC will function as overseers in the continuation of its mission. This will be done independently of the park board, the park management and the city. The importance in maintaining what has been accomplished over the past 10 plus years is critical. Are you interested and willing to be an actor in the continuation of what has been done by the Restoration and Beautification Committee and the Firestone Park Custodial and Cultural Committee? We hope so, and invite you to a meeting on Monday, April 27, 2026 at the Firestone Legacy and Visitors Center, 246 East Park Avenue, Columbiana, at 4:00 pm. The meeting will detail the role you might plan in joining us! For more information, contact the Legacy Center at 330-397-4706.