From left, Michael Baker International representative, East Palestine Village Manager Chad Edwards, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw and Ohio Senator Al Cutrona break ground on the East Palestine park project during a ceremony on Saturday. Norfolk Southern is funding the $25 million overhaul of e the park. Improvements include a new pool and pool house and sports courts. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

EAST PALESTINE — Talk turned into action on Saturday, as Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw and village leaders broke ground on Phase 1 of the $25 million project to renovate the East Palestine City Park on Saturday.

The project, fully funded by Norfolk Southern as part of its campaign to “make it right” in East Palestine following last year’s train derailment, has been over a year in the making. Plans to overhaul the park were first made public last spring. Shaw called the park “the crown jewel” of the village and said it was the first place community leaders took him to following the derailment. The pride in the park couldn’t be ignored, Shaw said, so it made perfect sense to help the community enhance and modernize the park when asked to.

“We made a commitment to do that and we committed $25 dollars, and our design firm, Michael Baker and the community leaders have been working together for the past year on those plans and, today, we are putting those plans into action,” he said.

“This is just us making a promise, getting feedback and following through on that promise.”

Phase 1 of the six-phase project will begin this month with the entire project expected to be complete in 2026 — a year sooner than originally expected. Phase 1 includes construction of an amphitheater, installation of new pickleball courts, relocation of the tennis and basketball courts, improvements to the field areas, extended parking, additional dog park parking, lighting, and new walking paths. Phase 1 will also focus on parking around the central grass area which will later be paved, draining and grading work around the playing courts and field, moving electrical lines underground and directing stormwater to a temporary retention pond.

The overall plans feature many upgrades to the park with the biggest undertakings a new aquatic center (complete with an olympic-sized pool, splashpad, modern pool house and concession stand) and improvements to the brick pavilion that will winterize the space for year-round usage as well as include the addition of a large deck and retractable glass doors, a sidewalk, and a handicap-accessible bathroom.

The idea, Shaw said, is to combine the past with the future.

“Pride, tradition and progress is now the motto of the village, and that’s what you see at this park,” he said. “Certainly, you see the pride the community has in this park and the tradition with things like Rainbow Dreamland. The people who helped build it still have their names on the fence stakes down there and we want to preserve that tradition. And then obviously, it is progress as well.”

The idea is also to make the park a cornerstone in the village’s revitalization efforts and be an economic boost.

“Certainly, the folks in East Palestine will be able to enjoy this park on a daily basis but it will continue to draw more and more people from around the region which will have a positive economic impact for the community and over the long term help the community recover and help the community thrive,” Shaw said.

Village Manager Chad Edwards, who along with Ohio State Senator Al Cutrone, representatives from Michael Baker International officially broke ground on Phase 1, said the park project brings with it profitable possibilities.

“We are really excited about this park and the potential it brings to East Palestine,” Edwards said. “From everything we’ve seen, it looks like it’s going to be really impressive and we are excited to see the events we will be hosting, not to mention that the new pool is going to help save the village money with more efficient heating and less water loss. It’s a good thing.”