Lionel Richie’s Heartfelt Tribute: Hello Park in Tuskegee

A renowned singer, Lionel Richie took to his Instagram account to share good news with his followers, there is Hello Park in Tuskegee, Alabama. This project is very dear to Richie as it was developed adjacent to his parental home and near the historic Tuskegee University which is important for the city.

The concept that Richie had for making Hello Park was to make the place that used to be just a large plain of open ground and turn it into a lively commonplace for so many people. This park symbolizes a lot more than a change of the landscape; this park represents an effort that has gone into building a connection with one’s identity, a way of showing appreciation to a community that helped shape the person Richie is today. In Richards’ own words, the dream has finally crystallized at Tuskegee in the quintessential sense with which he has vowed to develop the town.

To make this dream come true, Richie collaborated with “Lowe’s Hometowns,” a non-profit program backed by Lowe’s Home Improvement that supports projects aimed at enhancing the quality of life in towns across the United States. Richie was very much thankful for the cooperation and stress both Lowe’s and he himself has been able to use to help him with the implementation of his vision of the park. The partnership further depicts two organizations that embrace the goal of contributing to community welfare as well as promoting environments that accommodate change.

Richie also took time to appreciate those individuals who helped in the preparation of Hello Park. They include, but are not limited to Central Alabama Community Foundation, Points of Light, TSB Architecture, Dilworth Development, McKnight Landscape Architects, Milton C. Davis Law Offices, and Bruce Eskowitz and Lisa Parigi to mention but a few. These organizations and individuals have assisted in the realization of Richie’s vision and has made the park a perfect asset to society.

While Hello Park is primarily a recreational space for the residents of Tuskegee, it represents Richie’s constant devotion to his home community. With this meaningful act of giving space, Lionel Richie also remains an excellent example of an artist who is using arts in pursuing social change and trying to better people’s lives.