Ribbon cut at playground in Parkersburg’s Southwood Park
Photo by Peyton Neely
Students cheer on their teachers at Beverly-Center Elementary School on Friday as they battled each other with silly string to wrap up Coins for Cancer.
Photo by Peyton Neely
Students yell and clap as they root on their teachers from winning classrooms for Coins for Cancer at Beverly-Center Elementary School on Friday.
Photo by Peyton Neely
Beverly-Center Elementary teachers Cathy Borich, Jennifer Young, Dawn Spurr and Paige Greathouse battle each other with silly string at the Coins for Cancer wrap-up assembly.
Photo by Jeff Baughan
Liberty Street Church of God youth director Eric Tucker sits in front of the stage area at the church’s “Escape” area. The area is hosting nine area musicians for a free acoustic music session next Friday at its 13th Street location.
Mexican sombreros modeled Friday by Nancy Bloomer, a member of the costume department committee at the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, will be for sale at a yard sale 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today and Sunday at the guild, Eighth and Market streets. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Photo provided by Bernie Dowler
The circa 1899 photo above shows a side of beef hanging at the grocery store beside the Single Tax Shoe House on Market Street. Displays of meats such as this were surely a draw for the apparent, numerous dogs that ran loose in Parkersburg.
George Fenton, chair of the Marietta College Board of Trustees, delivers the charter of the college to William “Bill” Ruud, installing Ruud as the 19th president of the institution Friday. (Photo by Janelle Patterson)
Todd Burge
Sandra Groce and Larry Groce
Herbert Lyle Sheppard
Photo by Evan Bevins
Parkersburg resident Annabelle McCrady, 5, gets ready to use one of the slides on the recently installed playground equipment at Southwood Park Friday. City officials held a ribbon-cutting for the equipment Friday morning.
Photo by Evan Bevins
Holding the hand of caregiver Tessa Moore, right, 2-year-old Violet Robinson goes down a slide on new playground equipment recently installed
at Southwood Park Friday. City officials held a ribbon-cutting for the equipment Friday morning.
Photo by Evan Bevins
Parkersburg resident Annabelle McCrady, 5, front, and her brother Owen, 10, utilize new playground equipment at Southwood Park Friday following a ribbon-cutting.
Matthew James Coffman
Photo by Evan Bevins
Parkersburg resident Annabelle McCrady, 5, gets ready to use one of the slides on the recently installed playground equipment at Southwood Park Friday. City officials held a ribbon-cutting for the equipment Friday morning.
PARKERSBURG — City officials cut the ribbon on playground equipment at Southwood Park Friday morning, joined by some kids who were already familiar with the new additions.
The project was funded by a $35,000 federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant matched equally by the city through cash and in-kind contributions. It doubled the size of the Southwood playground with a playhouse, activity center and rockwall, among other items.
The rockwall is the favorite of Annabelle McCrady, 5.
“I made it all the way to the top,” she said.
Her brother Owen, 10, said he likes that there are features for older children like him as well.
Photo by Evan Bevins
Holding the hand of caregiver Tessa Moore, right, 2-year-old Violet Robinson goes down a slide on new playground equipment recently installed
at Southwood Park Friday. City officials held a ribbon-cutting for the equipment Friday morning.
The grant was initially approved by council in January 2014 to build a miniature golf course at Southwood. After considering the long-term viability of the project, it was decided to use the funds instead for playground equipment. The scope of work was approved by the National Parks Service last year, Development Director Rickie Yeager said.
Construction began around the start of June, but it took several months to complete the project. Factors included the need for a replacement part and the fact that city workers were doing the installation as part of the match for the grant among their other duties.
“It’s finally come to fruition with a lot of work from the Development Department and the Public Works Department,” Yeager said Friday.
Yeager and Public Works Director Rick Lemley were joined at the ribbon-cutting by multiple employees from their departments.
“This has been a dream now for several years,” said Councilwoman Sharon Lynch, who earlier this year questioned how long it was taking to finish the project.
Photo by Evan Bevins
Parkersburg resident Annabelle McCrady, 5, front, and her brother Owen, 10, utilize new playground equipment at Southwood Park Friday following a ribbon-cutting.
“They’ve put up with me stopping and asking questions,” she said, laughing.
The playground equipment was put to use by several children immediately after the ribbon was cut. Tess Moore brought her children and two she cares for to play on the new slides and climbing features.
“I absolutely love it,” she said. “It’s a good addition.”
One of the slides has been damaged by vandalism, Mayor Jimmy Colombo said, but a replacement piece has already been ordered.