By Megan Alley
Sun staff
Parishioners of Connection Point Church in the village of New Richmond will soon get some relief from their parking woes.
This thanks to a longtime village family who recently donated a nearby undeveloped parcel to the church; the parcel will be transformed into a gravel parking lot.
CPC moved into its current building at 215 Columbia St. in November 2014, according to Robert Wooten, lead pastor.
With growing popularity and a growing congregation, it wasn’t long before the church started experiencing parking issues.
“We have a big Sunday service, and cars would be parked on both sides of Columbia Street, illegally,” Wooten explained.
CPC’s predicament wasn’t lost on the children of husband and wife Donald Bryan Daniel and Helen Marie Daniel.
The couple owned the 0.239-acre lot at 326 Columbia St., across the street from the church, until they died years ago, after which the property fell into the family’s trust.
Many in the village may remember Donald and Helen Daniel. They owned and ran the former “Whirl-A-Wheel Roller Rink,” which was housed in the building – which the Daniels also owned – that is now CPC.
The building has changed hands a number of times since becoming CPC, but the family continued to own the undeveloped parcel across the street.
The family’s trust is managed by the couple’s eldest son – the couple had four children – Donald M. Daniel, who grew up in the village and worked at the roller ring.
The four heirs recently made a decision to donate the undeveloped lot to CPC.
“As we saw CPC, the streets became full of automobiles, and it was kind of unsafe for children, and we just thought it was time to give them the land; they needed a parking lot,” Donald M. Daniel explained. “We just felt that it was time to give it to them.”
Wooten and members of the CPC congregation are elated by the donation.
“We live by the principle that it’s better to give than receive, and so that’s something that really rings true for that family … doing exactly what they felt necessary,” Wooten said. “It’s just a really cool thing, and a cool reminder that we’re in the right spot, doing exactly what we were called to do.”
Wooten, with the help of congregation members, plans to begin constructing the parking lot as soon as possible.
“We’re all excited about it, and we’re grateful, and we know that mom and dad would be happy that we’re doing this,” Donald M. Daniel shared.