It’s always good to see people, especially kids, outside having fun these days.

But it’s even better to see them using something built for outdoor recreation and actually using it for its purpose.

It may have taken hard work and lots and lots of time and patience, but the Dillwyn Pocket Park is bright with the smiles and satisfaction of both Town officials and the people who have used it.

An Easter egg hunt that included music by local band All Problems Solved served as the park’s kickoff event a few months ago. Children of all ages flocked to the new park with their colorful shirts contrasting against the green grass that had recently sprouted up.

There was new life given to the small piece of property, thanks to its coronation, filled with small children, their parents and members of the community.

And their smiles told the story.

Children — after hurriedly grabbing eggs filled with candy — and their parents didn’t just take off and leave immediately after the hunt concluded. Many stayed, sat down and listened to the tunes and visited.

The pocket park was needed for the town and its residents and businesses. It’s something that the Dillwyn Town Council and its staff worked very hard to get done in a small window of time.

For town residents and business, it’s something to be proud of. It’s a great place to eat lunch, take the kids, read a book, talk to someone or just sit down and relax and think of the good ol’ days in Dillwyn.

According to Buckingham resident Todd Fortune, an employee of the Farmville-based Commonwealth Regional Council, which assisted the Town in building the park, the entire park was paid for by leftover money from a grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. A majority of the grant was used for revitalization of the Town.

The Town could easily have done something else with the money, or even chosen not to spend it.

The creation of the pocket park was in a big way responsible for a small but dedicated committee of people who’ve come together to celebrate Downtown Dillwyn and hold events on a regular basis.

And it only took a few weeks for them to produce their first event at the park, the Easter egg hunt, which was highly successful.

The best thing about this group is that they’re not stopping after one significant event. They’re planning more, many of which are going to be held at the new park.

The next event at the park is set for Thursday, July 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., featuring music, food and vendors.

The park is the perfect spot for these family-friendly gigs.

There’s no doubt that the pocket park will continue to bring the people of Dillwyn and Buckingham County together to celebrate their heritage, leading to more people having more opportunities to serve others.

JORDAN MILES covers Buckingham and Cumberland counties for The Farmville Herald. His email address is jordan.miles@farmvilleherald.com.