Trending
Editor, News-Register:
As a lifelong resident of Wheeling, I've always believed in the beauty of our parks and green spaces. From sprawling trails at Oglebay Park to quiet corners in neighborhood parks, these are places meant to bring people together. But as I've grown older and more civic-minded, it's become increasingly clear that our system is anything but united. In fact, it's fractured--by history, by design, and by a troubling lack of transparency.
Most people don't know that the Wheeling Park Commission is not just a parks department. It's a special district, separate from the city of Wheeling's own parks department, operating a select group of properties using city property tax dollars -- even though people from all over Ohio County use them. This system, created nearly 100 years ago, no longer reflects the realities of a regional community that shares its public spaces and should share the responsibility of maintaining them.
Wheeling's residents are paying for parks used by thousands across county lines, while smaller city parks -- those not under the Commission's umbrella -- receive less attention and fewer resources. Why haven't all parks been brought into one unified system? Why aren't county residents contributing to the same parks they frequent? Why are the decisions being made with so little public input or engagement?
Compare this to places like Huntington, where the Greater Huntington Parks & Recreation District provides a model of fairness, transparency, and collaboration.
Their unified system spans jurisdictions and reflects the public's voice in real, measurable ways.
We have an opportunity here in Wheeling to rethink our outdated structure and create a Greater Wheeling Parks & Recreation District--one that is inclusive, community-driven and regionally funded. This isn't just about taxes. It's about fairness. It's about accountability.
It's about making sure every neighborhood has access to safe, well-maintained parks--and a real say in how they're run.
Let's modernize our park system for the community we are today -- not the one from 1925.
Al Mestrovic
Wheeling