Downtown Festival Park opens in Suffolk

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — With music, food and more the Downtown Festival Park opened up in downtown Suffolk on Saturday.

The park sits on the corner of West Washington and Saratoga Streets. The opening came four years after a tornado destroyed the buildings that were standing. Suffolk resident Kimberly Austin said she was there for the disaster.

“It was devastating,” Austin said. “Like half of the building was gone and you saw people’s lives still inside the building.”

Having seen that devastation, she told 10 On Your Side the park is an amazing change.

“We did not know what this — we said, ‘a park?'” Austin said. “We didn’t know what it was going to be like, but I think it’s good for the city to come together.”

Mayor Michael Duman said a time capsule will be buried at the park with a mayor to mayor letter as well as other objects that represent the city.

Duman told 10 On Your Side the park breathes new life into the downtown area.

“This festival park will serve as a gateway ultimately to the core of our downtown and serve as a catalyst for future development along with the library that will be opening in the next 12 to 18 months,” he said.

Resident Carol Boone agreed that the park is just what the area needs.

“I love outdoors, I love the summertime, and I love good music. So, when I pulled up, I head good music,” Boone said.

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