Charleston attorney Tommy Reynolds recently donated land to the city that he and other officials hope will one day serve as the site for a community swimming pool.
Reynolds, who is attorney for the Charleston Mayor and Board of Commissioners and also the local member of the Mississippi House of Representatives for District 33, handed over the land to the city during a brief Oct. 25 ceremony at City Hall.
Reynolds said he bought the land, situated adjacent to city-owned property at the corner of Shade and North Vine streets, roughly behind the Charleston Elementary School gymnasium, for the express purpose of donating it to the city.
“Kenneth Newsom had it, and I bought it,” noted Reynolds, who said he owned the parcel of land for two days before signing it away to the city for $1 via quitclaim deed.
Reynolds said he did not know the size of the property but recalled that a house had once stood there.
The attorney said he donated the property in honor of the late Lee and Rebecca Newsom, who used to live there.
“When we grew up, we called them Mama New and Papa New,” Reynolds said. “They were very good to us — like grandparents, in a way.”
Reynolds and his family lived just up the hill, and he recalled their association with the Newsoms with fondness.
“Every day we would go down there,” he recalled. “That was a good little community and was good to grow up around.”
With the city of Charleston already beneficiary of a 2018 grant for $84,849 through the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks’ Recreational Trails Program, Reynolds sees the possibility to expand the opportunities.
The grant will construct an elongated asphalt surface walking trail — officially designated the Shade Street Park Walking Trail — that will be just under a quarter-mile long and 10 feet wide.
The park trail site is to feature a variety of amenities, including cast-iron benches, 9-foot lights and landscaping.
Contracts have been awarded and work on that project should get underway as soon as weather permits, said Mayor Sedrick Smith.
Reynolds’ donation raises the specter of another possibility that he and city officials have been kicking around for some time: construction of a public swimming pool adjacent to the walking trail.
“It’s good to see a good use of that land, and I remember when we were children how we had such a good time with the [community] swimming pool,” said Reynolds. “If it were possible, if it works out to do that, that would be, oh man!”
Reynolds said the city has floated the idea of a swimming pool with the city engineer and grant writer, who have been investigating what such an undertaking would entail.
Ward 2 City Commissioner Lloyd Smith said some of the early feedback from the engineer and grant writer has been encouraging.
“Some of the information allowed us to pursue this project because of the available grants and, hopefully, support from the community,” Commissioner Smith added. “There’s no doubt we will receive support, because everybody is all together in growing the community. ... We have our grant writer who also will pursue grants to help support the cost of this operation.”
Just what the cost of a swimming pool might be would “depend upon the size and the type of construction,” noted Mayor Smith.
Both the commissioner and the mayor lauded Reynolds’ gift of land to the city.
The only stipulations set down in the quitclaim from Reynolds are that the donated tract be used for “recreational or educational opportunities for the people of Charleston, Tallahatchie County and surrounding areas.”
He also requested that Lee and Rebecca Newsom “be properly remembered and their contributions to others be remembered and noted.”
Whether or not a swimming pool comes to fruition, the mayor and commissioner said they plan for the land given by Reynolds to be put to good use.
“We definitely appreciate the donation coming from Mr. Reynolds and the Newsom family,” said the mayor. “I think the property can be used to the betterment of the city of Charleston. Health and wellness are a top priority here, among other things that we have, and we are just appreciative of it.”
IN THE PHOTO: Charleston attorney Tommy Reynolds (third from left) recently signs a quitclaim deed donating property on Shade Street to the city of Charleston for recreational or educational use. Looking on (from left) are Ward 2 Commissioner Lloyd Smith, Ward 5 Commissioner Perry Herron, Mayor Sedrick Smith, Ward 4 Commissioner Sandy Smith, Ward 3 Commissioner Tawanda Shannon and Ward 1 Commissioner Gyrone Kenniel. The property is located adjacent to a walking trail site already under development by the city. (Photo by Clay McFerrin)
