The Town of Southern Pines Council is scheduled to vote on Tuesday, July 22, to rename Pool Park in honor of Pleasant Hines, the first mayor of incorporated West Southern Pines.
The Town is currently updating signage at its parks and public facilities. Pool Park, one of the town’s most active and well-loved public spaces, is located in the heart of West Southern Pines, said the Town in a media release. It features a swimming pool, splash pad, Dream Court, playground, picnic shelter, and multipurpose field. This overall project prompted a conversation about how to better reflect the space due to the pool only operating on a seasonal May-August schedule.
The Town Council received some name suggestions from staff at the June 24 worksession and selected the name “J. Pleasant Hines Park,” recognizing the first mayor of WestSouthern Pines. During the June 24 meeting, Councilmember Debra Gray reflected on the idea of renaming Pool Park and shared, “[Town staff] took the time to really do a lot of thought process in recommending these names, and I commend you on the work. I commend you on being conscientious and caring about that particular community.” She continued, “I think in that name (J. Pleasant Hines), it encompasses everything of the history and the people and the culture of that community.”…