New park dedicated to community leader
Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/65208/
Fayetteville honored one of its citizens Wednesday by naming the newly constructed park in the Copper Creek subdivision David Lashley Park.
A dedication ceremony Wednesday featured the grand opening of the park, refreshments, speakers honoring Lashley’s accomplishments and the proclamation of May 14 as David Lashley Day in Fayetteville.
“ Over the past 50 years, David Lashley has been a leader and the most outstanding citizen this community has known, ” said Eddie Bradford, one of Lashley’s closest friends, who spoke at the ceremony.
In attendance were aldermen, Mayor Dan Coody and numerous friends and family members, and Lashley himself.
“ It’s amazing when icons of a community come together to celebrate another icon, ” said Dick Johnson, Fayetteville Public Schools athletic director.
“ David has been a communitarian and leader in this city for decades, ” Coody said, “ but the people who have turned out today to show their respects shows the tremendous amount he has done for the community. ”
The decision to name the park after Lashley came from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. The event was planned by Parks and Recreation Director Connie Edmonston.
Lashley was instrumental in getting the funds for the construction of the park, Edmonston said. The more than four-acre park features a bike rack, a few benches and two playgrounds, which were purchased through the Fighting Obesity Through Play program from Playtime. It was constructed by Benchmark Construction.
The park has not yet been completed, mostly due to the rain, Edmonston said. A sign will also be constructed and placed at the entrance.
“ David was key in developing the Parks and Recreation department, ” Edmonston said. “ He has exceptional accounting, leadership and life skills. ”
Lashley attended Fayetteville High School and then the University of Arkansas, where he studied engineering and played football. After graduating college, Lashley became an Army officer before working for the Exxon Corp. He later returned to Fayetteville and joined his father’s accounting business.
Lashley spent 28 years on the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation board, as well as 29 years as a member of the Fayetteville Public Schools athletic booster clubs. He served more than 25 years as an officer and director of the Fayetteville Youth Center, 30 years as an active Lions Club member, was a founding board member and officer of Butterfield Trail Village. He also was an officer of the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation and spent numerous years as a football, basketball and softball coach.
“ David has always been there for (the Fayetteville Athletic Department ), and I guess that’s true for everything else because of all the people here today, ” Johnson said. “(The dedication ) is a wonderful recognition of a man that has absolutely delivered positive things to the city of Fayetteville his whole life. It’s the right thing to do, it’s the right time and I couldn’t be happier for David. ”
“ This is a testament of how the city owes David. It would not be the same town without him, ” Coody said. “ We cannot thank him enough for his lifetime of dedication to the betterment of Fayetteville. ”