WHEELING — Wheeling Park will soon celebrate a historic milestone — 100 years as the community’s park for the people of Wheeling. Throughout a century, Wheeling Park has been a gathering place for people of many generations, a place where people play, relax and learn.

Yet Wheeling Park Commission officials weren’t going to be satisfied with simply celebrating a birthday. They had two critical missions in their minds: make sure that, at that centennial, Wheeling Park can put its best foot forward, and make sure that the park will be a jewel of Wheeling for at least another 100 years.

The path to guaranteeing that began well before the candles for Wheeling Park’s birthday cake were ever lit.

According to Wheeling Park Commission President and CEO Bob Peckenpaugh, the process started four years ago when the organization took the commission’s core strategies and applied them directly to Wheeling Park, focusing on five foundational pillars — branding, operational excellence, our parks now and into the future, environmental stewardship and financial stability.

From that beginning, the commission has completed some major transformations to the park and its facilities.

“Guided by a long-term vision, the work ensures Wheeling Park continues to evolve,” Peckenpaugh said, “remaining relevant, welcoming, and inspiring for generations to come.”

Among the most visible changes have come with the park’s White Palace, which has long served as the epicenter of the park, the place where people of all ages gather for numerous events.

The building’s interior saw major renovations, with a new grand staircase, repairs to the ice rink’s roof and siding, the addition of a dog park on the property and the debut of Cafe 1925, which has quickly grown into a popular meeting place.

Improvements also came at the park’s playground — with new equipment and features to make it West Virginia’s largest and most inclusive playground — and at the nearby Schwertfeger Shelter.

“With the 100th anniversary on the horizon, we’ve also turned our attention to the finer details, the everyday touchpoints that shape a visitor’s experience,” Peckenpaugh said. “Thanks to the success of our Centennial Gala last December, we’ve been able to pave the entire main parking lot, refresh surrounding gardens, upgrade the amphitheater, replace aging light poles, and enhance our signage.

“The iconic entrance and exit gates are being detail-cleaned and restored, preserving their character while ensuring they stand strong into the future,” he added. “And later this summer, a special piece of art commemorating the park’s centennial will be revealed — a lasting tribute to a century of memories.”

These improvements, Peckenpaugh said, could never have happened without the help of the Wheeling community. Many of the resources used to make those changes have come from the people of Wheeling and its municipal government.

Seed money for the White Palace renovations came from generous donors through the Oglebay Foundation and American Rescue Plan Act funds through the City of Wheeling. Those dollars, Peckenpaugh said, spurred others to give, fortifying that funding even further and allowing the commission to continue its mission of revitalizing Wheeling Park.

The Fitzsimmons family’s donation made the dog park a reality, and other grants and gifts allowed the new Stifel Playground to come to fruition.

It’s a spirit of community that reflects what was seen a century ago, Oglebay Foundation President and CEO Eriks Janelsins said, when 174 prominent Wheeling residents came together to donate the funds to secure the land for the park in the first place. The love for Wheeling that those folks showed is now being seen again after 100 years, he said.

“I think what we’re trying to do with Wheeling Park is once again reflect the excellence of the Wheeling community in Wheeling Park,” Janelsins said. “It’s now a place where — if you bring in a speaker to a great event at Wheeling Park, the White Palace, or people are driving through thinking about moving their home or business to the Wheeling community — you drive to Wheeling Park and you say, ‘Wow, this is a community that cares, that cares about community. This is a special place.'”

With as many improvements that have been made, Peckenpaugh and Janelsins said the Wheeling Park Commission has no plans of stopping. This weekend, as part of the park’s 100th birthday celebration, they will cut the ribbon on its new spray and splash pad at the park’s pool. The park has deepened its commitment to environmental stewardship, Peckenpaugh said. Earth Day will be a significant event at the park each year, with a goal of planting 100 new trees there over a three-year span. And there will continue to be a devotion to peak customer service, so that every guest can enjoy every minute at Wheeling Park.

Innovations throughout the park call for innovations in securing resources, Janelsins said. While the Oglebay Foundation will continue recruiting leadership donors, it also will widen its net to include other potential donors who remember their favorite times at Wheeling Park and want to give what they can.

And, Janelsins added, the foundation will continue working with corporate partners and secure as many grants and other funds as possible. For instance, Belmont Savings Bank has jumped into sponsor the park’s FunFest Fridays.

“I think we’re at a really great time in Wheeling history too, where we’re all working together,” Janelsins said. “We’re meeting with cities and counties, the (Regional Economic Development Partnership), Wheeling Heritage, we’re all working together and rowing in the same direction to see how can we best utilize federal or state grants or one-time opportunities to benefit the entire community in the most strategic way.”

All of this work is geared toward one result — that Wheeling Park remains a jewel of the city and a center of the community. What was created 100 years ago needs to be around for future generations to enjoy, Peckenpaugh said.

“Our goal is simple and heartfelt,” Peckenpaugh said. “We want today’s children, and their children, to one day say, ‘I grew up in Wheeling Park.’ We want them to remember their first job here, their first concert, their first time skating, swimming, or exploring the woods. We want the legacy of Wheeling Park to not only endure but inspire.”