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Editor, News-Register:
As Wheeling Park celebrates its 100th anniversary, there's no denying the nostalgia and civic pride it evokes in many residents. The improvements to the White Palace, the new inclusive playground, and the restoration of beloved facilities deserve recognition. But while the article in The Intelligencer paints a bright picture of progress, it also illuminates a troubling omission: the lack of authentic public engagement and community-led planning.
Despite the celebratory tone, we must ask: When were the people of Wheeling asked what they wanted for their park? Over the past four years, during the transformation guided by the Park Commission's "five pillars," there's been no publicly available master plan, no open forums, no transparent surveys, and no record of town hall-style input sessions.
Instead, decisions -- however well-intended -- have remained concentrated in the hands of a small group of commissioners and executives, operating within a largely misunderstood special district model. For many citizens, the Wheeling Park Commission remains a mystery, despite being funded in part by public resources, including property taxes, ARPA dollars, and grant funding leveraged through city partnerships.
Unlike the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District, which serves as a model for public accountability and regional inclusiveness, Wheeling's park planning has remained siloed and exclusionary. Only select parks fall under the Wheeling Park Commission, and there's no clear rationale -- despite every city resident paying into a system that does not serve all neighborhoods equitably. Moreover, the decision not to regionalize with Ohio County -- despite the broad use of these parks -- represents a missed opportunity for sustainable, inclusive growth.
While foundations and donors deserve thanks, philanthropy is not a substitute for democracy. Structural decisions about Wheeling's public spaces should not be made behind closed doors or revealed only after ribbon-cuttings. As we mark 100 years of Wheeling Park, it's time to ask what the next 100 should look like -- and who gets to decide.
We should celebrate the past but demand better for the future. That means public commission meetings, posted minutes, a citywide parks master plan, and a framework that brings the entire community -- especially underrepresented voices -- into the fold.
Let Wheeling Park's next century be as much about shared leadership and community vision as it is about new playgrounds and pavilions. After all, a true "park for the people" must be planned with the people.
A. Mestrovic
Wheeling