Families visiting Earl Thomas Conley Park this summer will notice two special additions honoring a pair of local leaders whose vision helped shape one of Scioto County’s most popular destinations.
Next Thursday, June 25, county officials will officially dedicate the Doug and Cathy Coleman Memorial Splash Pad and unveil Packer Park, a new dog park named after Cathy Coleman’s beloved companion dog.
The ceremony will take place at noon at Earl Thomas Conley Park in West Portsmouth.
💦 A DREAM YEARS IN THE MAKING
Scioto County Commissioner Scottie Powell announced the dedication during Thursday’s county commission meeting.
Powell said many residents may not realize that the splash pad was originally the vision of former Commissioner Doug Coleman.
“What people may not know is that the splash pad was Doug’s vision and he didn’t get to see it come to fruition,” Powell said. “Cathy was able to pick up that torch and make sure it was completed.”
The splash pad has become one of the park’s most popular attractions, drawing families from throughout Southern Ohio during the summer months.
As part of the dedication, the splash pad will be free to the public from June 25 through July 5 as part of the county’s annual Freedom Week celebration.
This year’s event carries additional significance as communities across the nation celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
🐕 PACKER PARK OPENS
The dedication ceremony will also include the unveiling of a new dog park located where the park’s former playground once stood.
The dog park will be known as Packer Park, honoring Cathy Coleman’s longtime companion dog, Packer, who died in the automobile accident that ultimately claimed her life.
Powell said the dog park was one of Coleman’s final projects.
“If you knew anything about her and her companion Packer, she loved dogs. She loved kids,” Powell said.
Friends, family members, former colleagues, and community members have been invited to attend the ceremony.
❤️ A LASTING LEGACY
For many residents, Cathy Coleman was known simply as “Nana.”
A lifelong West Portsmouth resident, she served on the Washington-Nile Board of Education before joining the Scioto County Commission following the death of her husband, Commissioner Doug Coleman.
Over the years, she became known for her dedication to the community and her commitment to improving quality of life for local families.
Her efforts helped support projects ranging from children’s services and community programs to infrastructure improvements and recreational opportunities.
But perhaps nowhere is her impact more visible than at Earl Thomas Conley Park, where children laugh and play on a splash pad she helped bring to completion and where dog owners will soon gather at a park inspired by her love for animals.
🌞 A PLACE FOR FAMILIES
County leaders say the dedication is about more than naming structures.
It’s about recognizing two people whose vision helped transform Earl Thomas Conley Park into a destination for families across the region.
Beginning June 25, children will cool off at the Doug and Cathy Coleman Memorial Splash Pad while dogs and their owners enjoy Packer Park nearby.
For the Coleman family, friends, and the countless residents who knew Cathy and Doug, those names will serve as a lasting reminder of the couple’s commitment to the community they loved.
