By Jack Werren — Schneider Park will become new once again. The Park will be changing its’ name to Memorial Park to honor those who have served.

The park was renamed to honor the veterans on Veterans day morning where there was a memorial service held for Veterans.

Park director Robert Steinberg thought it was necessary for the second largest community in Stark County to have a place of remembrance for those who have severed and have paid the sacrifice for our freedom. The park will bring a new asset to Plain to be able to have a place to recognize veterans, which is something that this Township has not had in the past.

“Given Plain is the Second largest community in Stark County, and to date we did not have a park honoring our veterans, I felt it pertinent that we establish a place to honor those who have served,” Steinberg said.

Junior Elliot Rose made a flag depository in the park as a part of his Eagle Scout Project. A flag depository is a place Veterans take their old worn or tattered flags. The depository gives them a place to properly dispose their flag respectively. The veterans go up to the depository to drop their flags in, and then the flags are collected and properly and reverently disposed of. This is the first of many new veterans projects to go into the park. Rose came up with the project over the summer and just finished it early this November before Veterans Day.

“There is no place around that people can take their flags, so I just wanted to make a easily accessible area where the veterans can drop their flags,” Rose said.

His project is located by the water fountains and on the road to the parking for the pavilion. There was a memorial service held at the flag depository on Veterans Day.

“By coordinating with scouting groups we can break out components of the overall project into smaller task while helping the scouts achieve rank advancement through contributing to the future of the community,” Steinberg said.

Elliots’ project is just a part of the whole plan, and more projects like his are planned to be added. The park will continue to work with Boys Scouts, Girls Scouts and with the Plain Local STEM students to have ideas for more projects like the flag depository proposed to add to the park. The Park will also be able to be use the new projects as an educational area for students, and give them a place to learn about veterans and all that they have done.

Steinberg said that there will be a specific area for veterans to reflect and recognize their sacrifices and services on the grassy knoll just south of the Stark Parks trail.

“This memorial will truly be a priceless asset for Plain Township,” Steinberg said.

[Updated Aug. 12, 2017: This article has been reformatted for consistency.]