Larry Leggett’s name for years has marked a soccer field at Swede Hill Park in Hempfield, a nod to his instrumental role in developing the township’s soccer program.

But this year, a memorial rock bearing Leggett’s name was removed from the park after the township chose not to move forward with a $1 annual lease with Westmoreland County after county officials balked at transferring ownership of the park to the township at no charge.

The lease officially ended Feb. 28 after 25 years of Hempfield utilizing the park.

“It was sentimental to us and it was a beautiful park,” Leggett’s wife, Heather Leggett Neal, said of Swede Hill Park.

The township is now planning to move Leggett’s memorial to Hempfield Park.

A rededication ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. April 30.

Leggett, who died in 2001 after battling colon cancer, served as superintendent of sports for the township’s parks and recreation department after being hired in 1980. In that role, Leggett dedicated his time to improving Hempfield’s recreational sports.

He also played a key role in developing the Hempfield Recreation Soccer League.

Neal and her husband coached several Hempfield teams, and at times would help out coaching teams associated with the Greensburg recreation department.

She noted that his biggest passion was coordinating the township’s TOPS Soccer Program for children with special needs because “those kids were just so loving and caring.”

“He just always wanted to benefit the kids,” Neal said. “Everything was always about the kids. He just enjoyed seeing the kids out playing.”

Leggett died Dec. 9, 2001. He was 48.

Three years later, Hempfield built a regulation-size soccer field at Swede Hill Park, which was dedicated to Leggett on Aug. 31, 2004.

Over the years, Swede Hill Park was utilized by the Leggett family for sports and graduation parties.

Leggett’s four children all participated in sports, including their father’s favorite, soccer. Growing up in Youngwood, the children would often play soccer games at Swede Hill Park. Recently, Leggett’s granddaughter played soccer at the park and excitedly showed her teammates his memorial. According to Neal, she said, “This is my grandfather’s field.”

Prior to Leggett’s death, he took comfort in knowing the field at Swede Hill Park would be available for generations to come.

“I just wish the county would have cooperated with the township, because the township was always the ones that maintained it,” Neal said while expressing frustration in how her family was informed about changes to the memorial and the loss of a park in the township.

During the length of the lease, Hempfield officials covered the cost of day-to-day maintenance of Swede Hill Park and paid for improvements to its fields and playground.

Because of the township’s investment in the park, George Reese, chairman of the Hempfield supervisors, said last month that he did not “think it was an unreasonable ask” to transfer the property to the township for free.

County officials at the time, however, said the township did not want to pay market value for the property.

The county instead offered Hempfield the option to continue paying $1 per year for the park.

County officials now plan to keep the space as a park.

Despite the situation, Neal noted that she feels better the township is placing the memorial at Hempfield Park, where she and Leggett were married.

“I feel better that they’re placing it and they’re rededicating it to that field, but still I don’t want to feel they’re just doing that because we were upset,” Neal said. “I want them to be doing it for him and his dedication.”

Reese said it was always the plan to rededicate Leggett’s memorial at Hempfield Park if things did not work out at Swede Hill.

“We’re going to honor his memory again at our park out in Hempfield,” Reese said. “It’s something that was always on our mind when we were talking about and trying to work with the county on coming to terms on the Swede Hill complex, that if it didn’t work out, we were always going to do something for Larry out at the park.”

The rededication ceremonywill be held at the newly rehabilitated soccer fields at Hempfield Park, said Aaron Siko, director of parks and recreation.

The event, which is open to the public, will be held during regularly scheduled games for the Hempfield Recreation Soccer League.

“It was like sentimental thing,” Neal said. “I’m glad they didn’t forget about him.”

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