Staff report

EAST PALESTINE — Norfolk Southern Corp. announced Tuesday that plans for revitalizing East Palestine City Park reached a major milestone after earning approval by city council.

Norfolk Southern will now move forward developing a full master plan for the community’s park located in the heart of the village. Total improvements — funded entirely by the railroad — are expected to cost upward of $25 million.

The donation to East Palestine City Park brings Norfolk Southern’s total financial commitment to the community of East Palestine to approximately $62 million, following a fiery Feb. 3 train derailment and controlled explosion / burn.

“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 Norfolk Southern is trying to make it right and I just ask for everyone’s patience through this process.”

Major elements of the proposed park improvements are 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, new amphitheater with an electrified stage, enhanced parking lots and improved traffic flow and general upgrades to facilities and walkways.

East Palestine council’s approval marks an important step in fulfilling a promise made by Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H. Shaw to make improvements to the city park, the railroad stated in a news release.

The company has enlisted the expertise of Pittsburgh-based architecture firm Michael Baker International to spearhead the park’s transformation.

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