Town should care for parks it already has

To The Eagle,

So far I've pretty much stayed out of the fray, such as it is, considering the fact that living in the Valley I don't really have a dog in the fight. However, it has reached a point where I find it impossible to not contribute my thoughts on this.

First, it does make it difficult as I know most of the council members, call several of them friend and see them socially in one venue or another.

That being said, here goes. Has it not occurred to the council that there is a park just a block away that has a museum, and old logging train, a picnic table and access to what will in the future be another park where the sewage lagoon was located? Also, just a short drive up Columbia St. is another park with a tennis court and knee high grass that isn't being tended to? As recently as last Friday I heard one council member, who I will not embarrass by naming, state that it would cost $100,000 to make a parking lot from the place in dispute. Excuse me, but why would it cost 100K to remove the planks across what had been the entrance and egress to said lot where people had been parking? I know someone who would probably do it for free. Call for details if interested.

One council member stated there are always plenty of places to park on Main Street but have seen times when there aren't. It was suggested that people could park down the hill behind the courthouse and walk up to Main. Sure. Do you have an extra oxygen bottle for those of us that can't walk that far? What about the tourists who will ostensibly rush to our little town to see the new pocket park and then have no where to park?

Have not attended any of the planning meetings but by what I've read it seems that the people that suggested continuing the lot as it had been used are being dismissed in favor of further plans to develop a park.

This will continue to fester away until, when? Knowing a little about small towns it will most likely be forever.

Peace,

James Roberts

Elochoman Valley