Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw was back in East Palestine to break ground on a $25 million park renovation project.

The company and city officials broke ground on phase one of six, of the park renovation project.

When completed the park will be home to new pickleball, tennis and basketball courts, a new pool and amphitheater and upgrades to the community center.

Other upgrades include:

  • New pool house
  • Updated brick pavilion
  • Dog park with parking and lighting
  • Updated baseball field with new fencing and dugouts
  • New playground areas
  • Additional parking and improved traffic flow
  • Shade structure
  • Tot lot
  • Leveled and graded fields
  • Pre-engineered restrooms
  • Stormwater pond

Phase one focuses on parking around the central grass area, draining and grading work around the courts and field, moving electrical lines underground and directing stormwater to a retention pond.

Shaw said this is a positive development for the community.

"This is going to benefit not only the citizens and the Village of East Palestine, it's going to benefit people in the region," Shaw said. "It will draw people in from around the region which will help with economic development and prosperity and held East Palestine thrive long term."

About a dozen locals came out to protest the renovations at the park. They said that a park is not going to fix the damage done.

"For those of us that are affected by this, we need to relocate," East Palestine residents Crissy Ferguson and Christa Graves said.

Shaw said they are committed to making progress in the community.

"Since day one we said we're going to make it right and we're going to see this thing through," Shaw said.