An old lot in Richwood may soon become a park featuring trellises with solar panels.
After two years of waiting, Create West Virginia and Richwood Blueprint Community will hold a groundbreaking event Saturday to begin construction of Helios Park in Richwood.
The idea for the park first began in early 2013 when Create West Virginia featured solar panels at its annual conference held in Richwood that year.
Once complete, the park will be located in an old lot across from the visitor’s center in Richwood. It will feature six solar panels mounted on white oak trellises that will look like trees. The entire space will be educational and feature a storm water filter, air purifier, energy generator, and solar power-net metering demonstrations.
Rebecca Kimmons is with Create West Virginia and is the Project Director for Helios Park.
“We think Richwood can have another life, and that’s what this park is all about,” Kimmons explained, “That’s why it’s so exciting. People in West Virginia tend to look back, and they remember when times were wonderful and times were good, and now they’re uncertain like so many of us about what the future’s gonna hold. So I think what this park is going to do is talk to people, demonstrate to people what the future could hold, if we have the political will to make it so.”
Create West Virginia hopes the park will be completed by the end of August this year.
Helios Park’s groundbreaking event will be held Saturday, April 18th at 9:30 AM. It’s free and open to the public.