Park O By Tara Eaker n May 19, hundreds of people gathered on an unseasonably hot morning to celebrate the opening of Unity Park, the latest jewel on an emerald necklace of signature parks along the Reedy River in Greenville, South Carolina. A century in the making, the 60-acre park pays homage to the legacies of the two historic neighborhoods surrounding it - Southernside and West Greenville - where residents describe a painful history of segregation, as the land once served as a buffer between the predominantly white downtown and the Black communities. A park in Greenville, South Carolina, incorporates history to foster community Unity Park in Greenville, South Carolina, pays homage to the legacies of the two historic neighborhoods surrounding it. PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | A UGUS T 2 0 22 | Parks & Recreation 33