New playground equipment celebrated in Wellsburg

WELLSBURG -- While raindrops fell around the Kiwanis Shelter at the Betty Carr Recreation Site on Monday, city officials and several park supporters looked forward to brighter days and the installation of new playground equipment at the site.

Mayor Dan Dudley noted several funding sources have come together to make the $129,609 project a reality.

Among them were a $50,000 federal Land and Water Conservation grant secured by Norm Schwertfeger, an independent grant writer for the city; $25,000 from the Charles and Thelma Pugliese Foundation, $10,000 from the George Bowers Charitable Trust administered by WesBanco, $30,000 in state funds secured by former state Senator Owens Brown; $1,000 donated by Trivium Packaging, a local business approached by 1st Ward Council Jerry Nichols; $5,000 raised through a dance held by disc jockeys Music Done Knicely; and $2,500 donated by the Brooke County Sportsman Club.

State Sen. Laura Wakim-Chapman, R-Wheeling; and state Del. Jimmy Willis, B-Brooke; on Monday added to the pot, presenting $10,000 secured from the Governor's Contingency Fund.

Dudley noted state Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Wellsburg, earlier secured $4,500 for new pickleball courts at the park, an addition also supported by the Wellsburg Lions Club, while the Wellsburg Kiwanis Club raised funds through this year's Duck Derby event for future improvements to local parks.

He noted Johanna (Weiler) Burdine and Angela Staffileno sparked efforts to improve parks throughout the city, surveying residents about additions they would like to see and organizing a Friends of Wellsburg Parks group to beautify their grounds.

Mitch Reno, sales associate for Cunningham Recreations of Charlotte, N.C., shared details of the new playset to be installed at the park, which is near Main and 17th streets.

He noted the playset will include climbing structures and a slide as well as swings and other separate features, including some designed for students on the autism spectrum.

A couple of the swings will be designed for children with special needs and a wheelchair-accessible rubber-like surface will be applied to the ground while the rest will be covered with wood fibers.

Because it will take 12 to 15 weeks to install the equipment and a week is needed to cure the rubber-like surface, the work isn't expected to begin until spring.

With the exception of some swings, the park's playground equipment was removed because it was deemed unsafe.

This summer, Hannah Ferguson, a student at Brooke High School, restored a Mickey Mouse head that topped a sliding board there for her senior project.

Her grandfather, Rich Ferguson, noted she spent many hours removing at least three coats of paint, sanding the head and repainting it.

In place since at least 1976, it had become a landmark for park patrons who often told friends they would meet them at the mouse's head, Ferguson noted.

The park is named for a late schoolteacher who spent her summers organizing activities for children at the city's parks.

Dudley said he was one of many teens who worked under her, planting flowers, raising and lowering the U.S. flags and leading children in completing crafts.

"I'm sure she's smiling down on us today," he said.

Dudley said with the project launched at the Betty Carr Recreation Site and new playground equipment installed earlier this year at the E.R. Nichols 1st Ward Park, he and others will be turning their attention to the 4th Ward Park.