text: When baby gear company Safety 1st approached local HGTV personalities, Ben & Erin Napier about sprucing up a park in Laurel for a commercial shoot, their initial response was “All of our parks are beautiful already. We can’t think of a single one that needs a makeover on this scale.” Then, friend Josh Nowell had a lightbulb moment… What about Trustmark Park on the corner of Oak and Magnolia Streets? It might be a little tricky though… the park was owned by the bank.
  After a meeting with Trustmark Bank officials, the City of Laurel, Laurel Main Street, Ben, and Josh, the bank agreed to donate the park to the city. The city accepted the park and agreed to its maintenance. Neel-Schaffer designed a beautiful and functional space and provided support throughout the construction process. Laurel Main Street received the funds from Safety 1st for the renovation and work began.
  Old, tangled ground cover was removed to make way for artificial turf. The turf makes a soft and safe play space for children, and is an easy to clean alternative to grass or wood chips. A hill was created in the middle of the park — perfect for rolling and sliding down!
  Beyond creating a safe and welcoming space, we desired a space that would reflect the personality of our town as well. For that, local artist, Adam Trest, designed custom fence panels which were manufactured locally by C & C Specialties. For the purpose of the Safety 1st commercial shoot in the park, their logo was painted on the brick facade of the building bordering the park. Soon, this facade will be repainted with a custom mural, designed by Adam Trest to compliment the fence panels.
  We would like to thank Safety 1st for their generous donation to our community. However, we would be remiss if we did not also thank Laurel Main Street Board President, Lew Yoder, for negotiating the donation of the park.
  At the grand opening of the newly renovated park, children enjoyed toys and activities from Crescent Line Toys, and swings from the Laurel Mercantile. Special thanks to Mimmo’s Ristorante Pizzeria for catering this event with their delicious pizzas, and to Shug’s Cookie Dough and Candy Bar for providing sweet treats!
  Our Deepest Thanks to:
  The Napier Family
  The City of Laurel
  Cynthia Rahaim, Horticulturist
  Crescent Line Toys
  C & C Specialties
  Mimmo’s Ristorante Pizzeria
  Shug’s Cookie Dough & Candy Bar
  Photo credit: Laura Jones