IS IT TRUE? April 19, 2011

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? April 19, 2011

IS IT TRUE that information has a way of finding its way out when enough attention is focused on faulty incidents?…that somehow a Master Plan for the Evansville City Parks that was published in 2009 has found its way to the City County Observer?…that many things about this plan are already obsolete and need to be revisited?…that much attention is given to the organizational chart and to the inventory of parks with their respective acreage?…that there are descriptions of all of the kinds of sports that are able to be played in the parks?…that this document is 74 pages long and took about an hour to read?…that some excerpts from the “Vision Plan” are as follows?

“That all visitors to park facilities and participation in parks programs leave with a positive, enjoyable and safe recreational experience.”

“Increase security monitoring at all park facilities, including lighting improvements, increased usage, restroom maintenance, and police patrols”

“Adequate maintenance, staffing and funding of existing facilities and programs, before addition of new programs and facilities”

“Use comment system to evaluate adequacy of maintenance at park facilities”

IS IT TRUE that those very fundamental parts of the “Vision Plan” are not being accomplished making the other 73 3/4 pages of the plan very difficult to put into operation?…that of lately the comment system has had to resort to shaming the City of Evansville through media coverage of vandalism, drug related activities, and prostitution to get the attention of the Parks Department?…that in the Maintenance section of the “Vision Plan” the following words were written in 2009?

“Maintenance deficiencies have reached a point that there is a perceived lack of safety and security in many parks because of the apparent lack of sufficient maintenance.”

“The general decline in funding available to maintain and operate parks combined with increased maintenance and operation costs has reached the point that park user’s no longer feel safe.”

“Maintenance budgets are often subject to changes caused by variations in political and budget priorities.”

“Prior to construction of major capital projects, make sure that projected revenue is balanced with maintenance and operation cost, to ensure new facilities are self-sufficient; and if not self-sufficient that a plan is in place for providing adequate funding of maintenance and operations without placing additional burden on EDPR personnel and resources.”

IS IT TRUE that those excerpts sort of blow a hole in the recently heard excuse of “WE DIDN’T KNOW” that the maintenance was not getting done or “WE DIDN’T KNOW” that there was a safety problems in the parks?…that a current machine candidate for Evansville City Council said last month that “I live on a park and see nothing at all wrong with any of the parks in Evansville”?…that whoever wrote that Master Plan knew about the problems in the City of Evansville Parks System?…that anyone who has actually read this Master Plan or even the 2002 Master Plan would have or should have known that the City of Evansville has maintenance and safety problems in the parks?…that it would be interesting to depose some of the people who have held elected office since the 2002 Master Plan went into effect and see how many have really read either Master Plan?…that it would be even more interesting how many of those who would claim to have read the plan would also have used the “I DIDN’T KNOW” excuse when the stories of needles and vandalism were exposed?…that one can’t have it both ways unless reading and comprehension is not one’s forte’ in which case one should not hold public office?…that maybe the ISTEP should be administered on an annual basis for elected officials and those appointed by elected officials?…that young children are afraid of the dark but that some adults are afraid of enlightenment?

IS IT TRUE that well lighted, clean, and manicured parks are not places that are frequented by drug addicts and prostitutes?…that lights and order are like Kryptonite to whores and drug addicts but that darkness and squalor attract them like a flame attracts moths?… that if the Master Plans of 2002 and 2009 has been followed that the parks of the City of Evansville would have never fallen into disrepair?…that it is time to take back our parks and today is a good day to take a volunteer minute and either pick up some trash or pull a weed?…that the City County Observer encourages all of our readers to do this and will lead by example by doing it ourselves?

NOTE: The 2009 Parks Master Plan is over the file allocation size to upload into WordPress. If you would like a copy please email Joe Wallace at jjw0729@aol.com and you will be provided with a copy.

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14 COMMENTS

  1. this is why the parks board and other similar boards that spend our tax dollars should be made up of elected officials, then we could vote them out.

        • and while an idea may be ill concieved, I take offense at being called personally ill concieved and I ask that the cco remove this comment. Personal attacks are the last resort of people who are afraid they may be losing

  2. I’ve driven by Howell Park several times recently. While I’m sure there are worse neighborhoods, Howell is not the nicest. Yet from my observation Howell Park looks like it is fairly well maintained. Am I wrong? If not, what is the city or the residents Howell doing right that is not being done elsewhere?

    • the West side has less crime and gang type activity than the SE side, thus less drug dealing and use in the parks, although Mesker park is developing a bit of a reputation

  3. Vann Park just got some more lighting. Other Parks need more. Utimately, video cameras mounted at each park will help a lot. No plans for video cameras though.

  4. This current administration is terrible with master plans.

    I want to see a new downtown master plan with a renewed effort to build a ballpark on the Mulzer Stone lot.

    I want to see a renewed effort to realize the 2002 garvin park/kleymeyer park which called for building a bridge over pigeon creek.

    I want the city to come clean about what they are planning for the slack water port.

    • Yeah, and you’ve got millions of dollars in your back pocket to pay for it, Geez! Do the “questionable” ideas ever end?

      Any idea what it would cost to relocate Mulzer’s facilities? Any idea how many thousands of tons of material leave that yard by truck every work day? Any idea what kind of river facilities would be required to handle the yards “input” of material? Any idea what added costs there would be due to additional travel time from a location somewhere out Old Henderson Rd to the ultimate destination? Any idea how many millions would be required for road upgrades to handle such traffic? Any idea of the resistance there would be as, most likely, a lot of this traffic would be routed through what are essentially residential areas? Any ideas about anything that proves to be practical and reasonable?

      I’m certainly glad you’ve got billions earmarked for all these “must do” projects! It’s nice to know that you’re willing to dedicate YOUR family’s money to all these “feel good”, non-essential projects!

    • Please direct me to specific information on a slack water port anywhere that exists and thrives in a situation where the water level routinely changes by some 30+ feet from flood to pool stage. I have yet to find one. Help me, please. I want to learn.

  5. “that it is time to take back our parks and today is a good day to take a volunteer minute and either pick up some trash or pull a weed?…that the City County Observer encourages all of our readers to do this and will lead by example by doing it ourselves?”

    I had a little time to burn yesterday, so I went to Howell Park and spent 10-15 minutes picking up trash in the playground area as well as around the park’s entrance. In that ammount of time, I picked up all the aluminum cans, plastic bottles, fast food cups, plastic bags and other various items that I see/find. I challenge other readers of the CCO to do the same to other parks and public spaces.

    • Should have proof-read better. Meant to say:

      …. In that ammount of time, I picked up all the aluminum cans, plastic bottles, fast food cups, plastic bags and other various items that I (could) see/find. I challenge the readers of the CCO to do the same to other parks and public spaces.

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