Parks are one of those public features that not only provide beauty to a community, but are also the place where lasting memories are formed.

When local governments invest in their upkeep and maintenance, they are inviting places.

I spent most of my childhood at John Slidell Park. Our parents were unaware of this fact, but my brother and I would ride our bikes from a nearby neighborhood along busy highways to get to the park.

Once we got there, we would ride our bikes down the large hill created by the road to the overpass at high speed.

Several structures also adorned the park, one of which was designed especially for older kids. I can recall being too young to reach the bottom rung of the ladder intended to get to the elevated platforms.

At that age I remember wishing I was taller so I could reach the seemingly endless elevated platforms.

The wooden structure was daunting, even when I reached a height that would allow me to climb every rung. Having an aversion to heights didn’t help the matter.

Today, that structure is long gone. I could surmise the reason for its destruction, but the fact is it’s been replaced with safer and newer features.

Parks have an important place in everyone’s memory, as a place to play ball, have a picnic or just spend time with their family.

They provide a place for children to run out the day’s energy, a place for adults to catch up on the week’s news and also a place for communities to come together for fundraisers and events.

Pearl River County is fortunate to have so many parks, and the community is fortunate local governments are willing to invest in their maintenance.