Mountain Home celebrated a major milestone as city leaders and community partners broke ground on the new Pioneer Depot and Plaza at Railroad Park, transforming what is currently a dirt lot into a vibrant community space. WATCH: What the Pioneer Depot and Plaza at Railroad Park will look like Mountain Home breaks ground on upgrades to Railroad ParkThe project will feature a splash pad, community gathering spaces, and a playground, bringing new recreational opportunities to the area."Honestly, at the end of the day, it's something that we don't have here," Mayor Rich Sykes said. "Mountain Home has always been 'it's good enough,' but we want to evolve, we want to be in the 21st century."RELATED | Mountain Home leaders issue apology to $2M donor after councilmember's criticismThe city partnered with several organizations for the project, including Pioneer Federal Credit Union, whose contribution significantly accelerated the completion timeline to July 2026."This is an opportunity to give back to a community that we love," CEO Curt Perry said.Sykes said the credit union's donation helped reduce overall costs by allowing the project to move forward as a single phase rather than multiple phases, which would have been more expensive.As we previously reported, the partnership sparked debate within the city council over how the credit union's branding would appear at the site. The plan ultimately passed, though some branding details were adjusted. Local residents are excited about the new amenities coming to their community. Nathan Bundy, a Mountain Home father of two, looks forward to having a place for his children to play."These kids, they don't look it right now, but they are a bundle of energy, so anywhere we can take them to run around, a nice safe place they can have fun, is a great thing," Bundy said.RELATED | Mayor of Mountain Home discusses plans for Qatari training facilityThe park's location next to downtown shops offers additional benefits for families and local businesses."This will be a fun place to go on Saturdays, you can get a bite to eat, explore downtown and also have a place for the kids to run around," Bundy said.Sykes emphasized that the project serves dual purposes of providing family entertainment while also being home to the local farmers' market."Gives them more space, opens it up, brings families down to downtown Mountain Home," Sykes said. "That's what vitality and economic impact does when rehab something and make it something special."This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less