Mirror Lake dedicated at Firestone Park

Staff report

COLUMBIANA

A capacity crowd turned out Saturday afternoon for the dedication of an improved Mirror Lake at Fire-stone Park and the unveiling of the Pillars in the Memorial Garden.

The crowd filled Pavilion 4 overlooking the lake to hear Mayor Bryan Blakeman give opening remarks and to introduce Pat Tingle, chairwoman of the trustees of the Restoration and Beautification Committee of Columbiana, who thanked the community and recognized the people who supported the committee in its efforts to restore the city’s park, a gift of Columbiana native son and tire magnate, Harvey S. Firestone, who donated land in the early 1930s for a park in the center of town, according to a news release.

Firestone Park officially opened in 1935, and this year the original Mirror Lake was renovated and improved with stonework terraces, waterfalls, fountains, newly paved paths, memorial benches along the way, new garden beds, new trees and botanical plantings and a memorial garden with three majestic stone pillars, a tribute to Firestone and his two famous companions, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

The transformation of Mirror Lake was a $500,000 capital project.

Continued restoration of the park has been estimated at $3 million to come from individual bequests, fundraising and various matching grants to be completed over a number of years.

For information about the ongoing project to renovate Firestone Park, visit restorecolumbiana.com.