On Thursday, leaders of the village of Coal Grove gathered at Paul Porter Park, along with members of the Lawrence County Commission for a special unveiling.

The occasion was the reopening of Paul Porter Park, after more than a year of upgrades, but, at the center of the event was the marker dedicating the new McDaniel Playground.

The new equipment came about thanks to a grant from the state, as well as private contributions from local residents.

It was named in honor of former Coal Grove Mayor Larry McDaniel and his wife, Vicki, of the Coal Grove Betterment Club, as recognition of their decades of service to the village.

In the process of the grant, village leaders had learned that they did not have the deed to the park, which surprised them. Fortunately, the commission stepped in and gave the land to the village, making it belong completely to the citizens of Coal Grove.

Thanks to the work of village and county leaders, future generations of children will now have a place in which to create treasured memories that will last them a lifetime.

We commend all involved in making this project a reality.