Officials celebrate as blockbuster donation transforms community space: 'Extraordinary generosity'

The city of Kettering, Ohio, recently rededicated the garden space at the Kettering Recreation Complex, unveiling the newly named Lathrem Garden Plaza, a revitalized community hub made possible through the generosity of Doug and Vilma Lathrem.

According to WDTN, the city announced that the plaza's new Lathrem Garden Shelter offers seating for 75 at picnic tables, a wood-burning fireplace, a water fountain, and electricity, creating the perfect space for family gatherings and community events. Surrounding the shelter, visitors will also find updated shuffleboard courts, a three-hole putting green, and swing benches overlooking the pond, enhancing the site's recreational options.

Charles Ira Lathrem, father of Doug and Vilma, was a Kettering resident and founder who led the movement to incorporate the village in 1951 and secured a special federal census in 1955, qualifying Kettering to become a city. He was an instrumental part of the community until he died in 1991, according to the Dayton Daily News, with the city's senior center bearing his namesake.

To extend his legacy, his family made a $1 million donation in 2022 toward upgrades for Kettering's Indian Riffle Park and the city's Charles Ira Lathrem Senior Center, according to the Dayton Daily News.

City leaders emphasized the impact of the Lathrem family's commitment, noting that more than 19,000 people use the complex each year, with ripple effects that extend to family members and friends.

Parks and green spaces like these provide critical community and environmental benefits. For communities, they foster connection, provide recreational and educational opportunities, and improve physical and mental health through increased activity and stress reduction. They also help families and individuals save money by offering a free place to hold events and spend time. Additionally, they drive economic growth by attracting new businesses, increasing property values, and generating tourism.

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For the environment, these spaces improve air and water quality, reduce urban heat islands, and support biodiversity by absorbing carbon dioxide and providing habitats for pollinators, which protect our food supply. All of this paves the way to a cleaner, cooler future as parks help counteract the effects of human-caused climate warming, keeping local communities cool in the short term and the planet cooler in the long term.

As speaker David Bodary reflected during the shelter's opening ceremony, the plaza is more than just amenities; it's about creating a safe, fun place that brings current and future generations together, highlighting how parents, children, and grandchildren benefit from local climate action and the resources the recreation complex provides.

The dedication concluded with Doug Lathrem cutting the ribbon on the project, marking the start of a new chapter for the Lathrem Garden Plaza, rooted in community, generosity, and open green spaces for all to enjoy for generations to come.

"This beautiful community space has been transformed through the extraordinary generosity and commitment of Doug Lathrem and his wife, Vilma, whose ongoing dedication continues to make an incredible impact on the community," the city shared, per WDTN. "Stop by and check it out next time you're in the neighborhood."