Russell Park valuable addition to community

The McCook City Council's acceptance Monday night of development of a new city park is remarkable in a number of ways.

For one thing, it's affirmation of the special place McCook holds in the hearts of those who have gone on to make their mark elsewhere.

Marty Russell, a developer in the booming Castle Rock, Colo., area, wanted to give back to the hometown that gave him his start in life.

He also wanted to honor his father, Carson Russell, who practiced law here for more than 50 years, including a stint as city attorney, and as a one-time partner in a law firm that included George Norris. At 27, Carson also served two terms in the old Nebraska House of Representatives. He also served as a director of the First National Bank and counted the Burlington Northern Railroad among his law clients.

A city park is certainly an appropriate memorial to such an active civic leader.

The location of the new park also harkens to the time when more of us got around on foot rather than by car -- a time that may come again, thanks to gasoline prices expected to exceed $3 this summer. With a full basketball court, fully-equipped playground, tether ball court, horse shoe pit, barbecue grill, picnic tables, trees and landscaping, it will certainly serve as a magnet for neighborhood families of all ages.

And, with the college planning eventual expansion into part of Kelley Park, Russell Park will replace part of the lost recreational area in that part of town at a minimal expense to the taxpayers.

Finally, the Russell Park project is another example of what an important part the relatively new McCook Community Foundation can play. Without this vehicle to channel them to where they are needed, charitable contributions would be more difficult to make, and there likely would be fewer of them.

McCook should be grateful to the Russell family for its generosity and to all who helped make this valuable addition to our community a reality.