9.C.1. PRSR 06-13-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 1 of 1 Michele McPherson • From: Sandy Peine[speine @ci.elk-river.mn.us] Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2001 3:46 PM To: Michele McPherson Subject: FW: Park at Fresno St. and 182nd Original Message From: Mnbigeasy @aol.com [mailto:Mnbigeasy @ aol.com] Sent:Thursday, May 17, 2001 3:27 PM To: cityclerk @ci.elk-river.mn.us Subject: Park at Fresno St. and 182nd Hello, I was unable to contact anyone personally on the Park Board about this, so I hope that you may be able to forward this to the appropriate person. Several years ago, when the City Council forced our neighborhood to put in city sewer and water, the question about the development(or lack thereof)of the"park" at the corner of Fresno Street and 182nd was brought up. Apparently, when the neighborhood was developed, the residents were promised that the vacant corner lot would be made into a park. It never was. Then, when the neighbors pressed about it during the sewer and water issue, the City threw us a bone and put in a basketball court. THAT WAS THE PARK. Well, we contacted the Park Board then, and asked about having some swings and such installed, as the vast majority of the children in the neighborhood • at the time were toddlers, and would not be using the Park. At that time, I expressed my concern that this basketball court would attract older teens from outside of the neighborhood. I was told that there was no money available to purchase new equipment. Now, several years later, the park is still a basketball court with no other improvements. And, as predicted, virtually the only persons who use the "park" are teenagers from other neighborhoods. Additionally, they park their cars on the grassland and play their stereos loudly while they play. And, in the mean time, more younger children are moving into the neighborhood and have no usable park to use. What has to be done for our neighborhood park to actually get playground equipment, shade trees, a bench....to make it really a PARK that our neighborhood children can use? I've noticed that over the years, we have developed a BMX course and now, closer to us on the Parkway behind our neighborhood, is going to be some type of prairie land area with wood chip trails and boulder rocks spread around. No one knows what that is....and I would guess few people will use it. We have several dozen children in the newborn to ten year old range in our neighborhood who couldn't care less about basketball goals. They want swings and slides to play on. Who can help us get a park that our neighborhood children can use their neighborhood park? I would appreciate a response from whoever can help us. Rick Wagenpfeil 18259 Fresno Street 441-1264 5/17/01