NS to Move Forward With Master Plan for East Palestine City Park

“Through multiple visits, I have seen firsthand the love and pride the community has for the park and we are honored to support meaningful improvements,” said NS President and CEO Alan H. Shaw.

Norfolk Southern (NS) announced June 20 that plans for revitalizing East Palestine City Park reached a major milestone after earning approval by the East Palestine City Council and the Class I can now move forward developing a full master plan for the community park.

Total improvements—funded entirely by NS—are expected to cost upwards of $25 million. The donation to East Palestine City Park brings the railroad’s total financial commitment to the community of East Palestine to approximately $62 million, with more to come.

Major elements of the proposed park improvements include:

• A new aquatic center and pool house.
• Three new modern playgrounds.
• Upgraded baseball fields.
• New basketball courts and tennis courts.
• Improvements to the brick pavilion.
• A new amphitheater with an electrified stage.
• Enhanced parking lots and improved traffic flow.
• General upgrades to facilities and walkways.

The approval, NS says, marks an important step in fulfilling a promise made by President and CEO Alan H. Shaw to make improvements to the city park. The company has enlisted the expertise of Pittsburgh-based architecture firm Michael Baker International to spearhead the park’s transformation.

As part of the collaboration with Michael Baker International, NS Chief Engineer David Becker worked alongside architects to develop some of the more technical aspects of the master plan. After the design phase is complete, Michael Baker International will manage the construction project bidding and award all contracts to local, qualified Ohio-based businesses.

The park has served as a social hub for the village and is used for community gatherings, sporting events, fireworks and more. Designed to preserve the park’s history and natural beauty, the proposed plan includes essential upgrades and aesthetic improvements and will be completed over several phases.

As a next step, detailed designs and a timeline for construction will be completed. Each proposed component will go before the City Council for approval before construction can begin. The master plan touches nearly every aspect of the park from the community pool and baseball fields to the parking and walkways.

“This is a long process and it’s going to take a lot to get cleaned up, but after what we saw tonight, I believe this village is going to be better than it was before the derailment,” East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway said. “It seems like NS is trying to make it right and I just ask for everyone’s patience through this process.”

“Through multiple visits, I have seen firsthand the love and pride the community has for the park and we are honored to support meaningful improvements,” said Shaw.

This is the latest commitment that the Class I has made to the community in response to the Feb. 3 derailment. Last month, NS unveiled plans to donate its historic East Palestine Train depot to the village and opened a new Family Assistance Center in East Palestine. Additionally, Shaw wrote in a May 9 letter to Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ted Cruz (D-Tex.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) that the railroad will establish a fund to compensate homeowners in East Palestine for property diminution.

To learn more about NS’s commitment to the East Palestine community and surrounding area, visit NSMakingitRight.com.