Cody Bryan - Director
Philadelphia-Neshoba County Park Commission
Northside Park
100 Burt Drive
Philadelphia, Ms 39350
601-656-4101
e-mail: parks@neshobacounty.net
Park Commission Members
- Kent Stribling
- Lance Duncan
- B J Morrow
- Darrius Thames
- Randy Gill
- Harvin Hudson
- Bruce Bounds
The Philadelphia Park Commission was created in February 1964 by The City of Philadelphia to provide recreational activities for the youth of The City of Philadelphia. The Neshoba County Board of Supervisors began support of the unified Park System some years later enabling The Park System to receive support from The Neshoba County Board of Supervisors as well as The City of Philadelphia. The Park System offers almost any athletic program you can think of for children and teens; a walking trail; camping and fishing; a first class playground, pavilions, tennis courts; swimming pool, senior citizens center; and even a nature trail.
The citizens of Philadelphia and Neshoba County have access to a modern park system that has just undergone a $ 6 Million expansion and renovation of our community parks. Over 1,000 children participate in sporting events through the Philadelphia, Neshoba County Parks and Recreation program. What’s more, there are walking trails, camping and fishing, a first class playground, pavilions, tennis courts, swimming pool, and even a nature trail. The park’s diamond-based sports, like baseball and softball, are played on 16 fields. Many people, who don’t have children playing in the games, come to the park just to be a part of the action where they can also dine on hamburgers and fries at the concession stands.
The recently completed renovation more than doubled Northside Park, adding eight new baseball and softball fields, four new soccer fields, a recreational lake, and tennis courts among other things. A second walking trail was recently completed which connects to the present one in the A. W. “Rack” Burt addition. The park has also added a handicapped playground next to The Imagination Fun Station.
Westside Community Center underwent an extensive renovation as part of the park project. The kitchen and bathrooms were remodeled, along with the stage and auditorium. More parking spaces were added along with new lighting and landscaping. There were also improvements to the softball field, tennis and basketball courts. An outdoor stage and a concession-restroom building was constructed this past year at The Booker T. Washington Park.
The system is governed by a seven (7) member Commission appointed by The City of Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia received special authority from the Mississippi Legislature in 2001 to expand the Park Commission to seven (7) members with the passage of Senate Bill 3169. The Neshoba County Board of Supervisors recommends two (2) of the seven (7) members of the commission to The Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia-Neshoba County Park Commission employ a staff to operate and manage the various parks under its control. The Park Commission is continuously working with city, county, tribal and state agencies to find ways to make improvements to the Parks in order to better serve the citizens who uses the various parks.
The City of Philadelphia was approved for funding for a new Senior Citizens Center for Philadelphia and Neshoba County. The old Longino Center received damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, The Mississippi Development Authority awarded the City of Philadelphia a grant to provide for the construction of a new center.
The new center opened in the summer of 2010 with the noon nutrition program relocating from the Neshoba County Coliseum where it had been housed since 2006. The Senior Citizens Center also houses office for the Park Director. The building is being used by Senior Groups as well as public meetings, family reunions and other meetings.
The newest addition to Northside Park is the rebuilt Log Cabin. The original cabin was destroyed by the April. 2011 tornado that began just Southwest of the park and cut a path of destruction to Noxubee County. The "New Rebuilt Cabin" was constructed with a grant from the Mississippi Department of Archives & History and funds from the City of Philadelphia.
Click on a park below for more information:
Debbie Burt Myers assisted with information for this page.