New splash pad dedicated to former mayor Friday in Laurel

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - A new splash pad in Laurel is honoring a former mayor.

Those who knew Mayor Melvin Mack said the dedication was a perfect way to honor him because he loved the children of Laurel.

Friends, co-workers and Mack’s family spoke Friday about the city’s first Black mayor who passed away in May 2021.

“It’s a great honor for me to be a part of naming something after him that will be here for decades and people will always remember him,” Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee said. “Everybody knows about his love for the children, and so, we wanted to do something to remember that.

“So, we’re glad that we were able to do it.”

The splash pad is located at Boston Park in laurel and now is open to everyone.

Mack, who was elected mayor in 2005 and served two terms, spent more than three decades in public service, first serving as a City of Laurel councilman, then Jones County supervisor and finally Laurel’s mayor.

The Laurel Fire Department’s station on Parker Drive was named in Mack’s honor in 2018.

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