Published: September 23, 2008 05:12 pm      

Montgomery City Park gets facelift

MONTGOMERY — A longtime resident of the Upper Kanawha Valley, Betty Werdine says she embraced the opportunity to help make needed upgrades to the city park.

So, Werdine was on hand last week as city workers and community volunteers joined with representatives from Landscape Structures Inc. to place several new pieces of play equipment at the park. The work followed a first phase of improvements accomplished last year.

Significant funding from the project came from the Dr. Scholl Foundation, whose founder, Dr. William M. Scholl, started the company famous for helping people deal with problems of the foot. Werdine was a niece of Scholl’s.

Werdine says the park is worth it.

“The kids are great. Teri Lewis (former city councilwoman and park board member) and I used to watch the kids play nightly down here,” she said. “I had no idea the City of Montgomery had this many young people.”

Werdine has served on the city park board, and she says increased recreational opportunities are important for the city.

“We just needed this for the community,” she said. “The children in Montgomery really needed something.”

Pam Melton, a Landscape Structures representative who was on hand to supervise last week, said Werdine has been a major boost to the success of the project. “She has been so awesome, integral in a lot of areas.”

Werdine praised the work of Susie Ingram, president of the park board, and her husband, Greg, the city recorder who acts as liaison between the city and the park board. She also thanked Mayor Jim Higgins for allowing city employees to help install the new playground equipment. “Jim Higgins has been a god-send.”

Greg Ingram, too, thanked Higgins for providing a labor force to complete the work. “We definitely thank the mayor for the labor support,” he said. “Those guys and the community volunteers did a great job.”

Ingram said both Higgins’ administration and park board and the park board under the administration of former mayor Melba White were instrumental in getting the park work done. And, Werdine’s assistance in securing Scholl Foundation backing was key, he stressed.

“It’s a nice park,” he said. “I’m tickled we got it done.”

Swings were erected Monday, and Ingram said the wood-chip base will be installed today.



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The Dr. Scholl Foundation was established in 1947. It is a private, independent, grantmaking foundation created from the success of the business the doctor founded, the Scholl Manufacturing Company, according to the Web site www.drschollfoundation.com.

The foundation has continued Scholl’s generosity by contributing over $180 million since 1980 to organizations that help people help themselves.

Landscape Structures is a premier provider of innovative playground equipment and is committed to creating inspiring play experiences for children while honoring the environment, according to www.playlsi.com.

— E-mail: skeenan@register-herald.com