The quality of a community’s parks and recreation facilities is critical to a healthy and vibrant citizenry. Our current parks system is failing the citizens of Evansville and it shows. A 2013 Gallup poll put Evansville as one of the top 10 most miserable cities in the United States. Evansville came in at number eight. Additionally, Evansville was ranked the second worst city in the country in terms of healthy behavior. Evansville has one of the highest rates of smoking while simultaneously having one of the lowest percentages of residents to eat healthy or exercise regularly. Because of this, thirty percent of the city’s residents are considered obese.
A safe, quality park system with diverse sports and recreational opportunities for everyone will undoubtedly give residents the opportunity for a healthier and higher quality of life. Not only would this create an optimistic and happier community, it also is a key component to attracting businesses looking to locate in a mid-sized city. Evansville does have many positive attributes, but there are many negatives that are largely ignored. This leads to our community being overlooked for alternate cities like Louisville and Nashville.
The Evansville park system is one of the largest for any community of similar size in the United States. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) operates and manages over 2300 acres. Included within the DPR is Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Garden which has undergone much needed and significant upgrades.
The DPR has been dealing with a decrease in both revenue and the public’s use of the park system. It also faces crime, broken and dilapidated equipment, and a workforce that is not big enough to keep up with maintenance. When quality goes down, usage goes down, which decreases revenue, and causes a further degradation of quality. It becomes a downward spiral. The budget for the DPR should focus on maintenance and repairs and reflect the value the community places on the park system. The current budget is just not sufficient to cover all the needs of the current parks system.
The crime issues in the parks system appear to be primarily crimes against property, although fighting and drug deals have occurred with more frequency in some of the parks in the city. These problems are not new and increased with the elimination of the Park Rangers. When the Park Rangers were eliminated, additional officers were not added to the Police or Sheriff’s Department. These departments are stretched to their working limits. There is currently not enough manpower to adequately patrol the park system and patrol residential areas that are experiencing higher than normal crime.
My plan is to sit down with civic, church, corporate and government leaders. We need to focus on quality instead of quantity. It’s time for the DPR to be reorganized and for us to reduce the amount of acreage we are trying to maintain. Long term leases with civic organizations are an option that I feel gives pride and ownership to its members and surrounding neighborhoods. I also think that we need to make tough decisions regarding whether acreage is truly needed or whether some areas of green space could generate some much needed revenue by returning to the tax rolls as housing or commercial development. One area that stands out immediately is the former home of Roberts Stadium. Could this area better serve the community as a residential area or as an expansion of McDonald’s Golf Course from 9 to 18 holes?
The reality of our situation is that we have more green space than we can maintain, and instead of creating tranquil places for families, we are harboring neglected playgrounds and giving vandals a place to do their unsavory deeds. The concern that I keep hearing from folks throughout our community is that they are not able to go to certain parks, because they are not safe, clean or well kept. We all need green space close to our homes, and we can accomplish this goal with a plan to reorganize the DPR. We have the bicycle and pedestrian master plan coming out and the ability to focus on connectivity and quality destinations. Together we must reorganize, downsize and upgrade our parks.
The quality of our park system is critical to our ability to attract high-paying, quality jobs. Evansville parks are already diverse but are too large of a park system to be adequately maintained. We need to work on quality. After an assessment is completed of the DPR, the community can partner with the city and develop a plan for everyone. We will definitely need a vibrant volunteer network and lots of public/private partnerships to take on various projects. The community needs to have input into how we reorganize and where we focus resources, but these choices are necessary to bring our parks up to the quality and safety standards we all deserve.
Winnie the Poop is a big park man. He’s got a dog park hung around his neck where his brandy cask oughta be.
http://s26.postimg.org/x3g8535h5/Intrepid.jpg
—And a breath of “Fresh Air” blows in to the “Scene”.
Bye-Bye Ms. Mosbey,– You wont’ be missed.
Thanks for Stepping up Mr. Davis!
Well, it is an area of concern and we do need to reduce to quantity to improve quality, but parks are not the major issue we face. Also keep in mind that reducing parks and services might be indicative of a declining city which is spiraling down in services offered while declining into survival, but that is somewhat countered by returning areas to the tax rolls.
I would like to hear more on long term vision, but I like what Steve had to say. +1
—And a breath of “Fresh Air†blows in to the “Sceneâ€. ??????????? I have no dog in the fight and could care less who represents that ward, BUT i will say this, I didn’t read anything there that has not been said a zillion times on this website and publicly by a thousand others EXCEPT the notion that he is for selling off Evansville’s city parks! Let’s all get behind him and get that for sale sign in front of Wesselman Park/Woods. Log that place, there’s money in those big trees and use the money to fix the sewers. HA! Heck we have three options of city leaders who can be the listing agent that will save us money! Seriously all joking aside I see a new face, same political speak they all make no matter what party when election time comes around. Never trust ANY politician! Que the Bonjovi Music “it’s all the same only the names will change”.
Pretty straightforward plan. I hope the new council and Mayor get on board with some of these ideas. They are definitely needed.
Sorry yao…I didn’t mean to reply under your comment.
Not disputing your take on Politics,–but We have “seen” Ms. Mosbey,
—expecting that Mosbey’s Spots will change,– makes no sense in any case.
At this point in time I would put my hopes ( yes, I did say hopes) on Mr. Davis, to make a difference for a better Evansville,- rather than the incumbent.
I would like to know who has proposed this before. If so, it needs to keep being said until someone listens, or the people in charge change.
The people in charge want a dog park. I’m not really keen on that. $10 million for a dog park seems a bit irresponsible to me for a town the size of Evansville. Especially since the current parks are in such bad shape and so poorly maintained. I agree with Steve Davis on this one…less is more.
Missy’s facebook page has more pictures of her dogs than the people she represents in the city. So I can see that she cares more about her dogs that the people in that section of the city. To Missy she is all about the dogs.
Pretty straightforward plan. I hope the new council and Mayor get on board with some of these ideas. They are definitely needed.
He has a lot of comments about parks. Does he serve on the Parks board in his home county of Gibson ?
It is remarks like yours that keep crippling the efforts of bettering Evansville. The fact is we currently have a lot of crime. Patrolling the parks takes man hours away from neighborhoods that need attention. You add the time it takes to write a report for something related to parks and it doubles the time away from residential areas. Instead of snide remarks from commentators I would like to see all the council candidates release their ideas and plans. I think Mr. Davis is on the right track here and credit him for making his ideas public.
Blue, Wonder what the answer to my question is.
He lives at 2346 Boeke Place go knock and say hello.
I was at his place Saturday night, sure looks like a guy lives there.
How long has he lived there ?
I think Mr. Davis laid out his ideas very clearly and they make a lot of sense. Thanks for stepping up for the Second Ward. There are a lot of problems there and you’re needed.
A commit about logging out Wesselman Park! You got to be kidding? This is VIRGIN standing timber land.
You can not replace anything like this! I doubt there is anything like this anywhere in our metro area!
That commentator is being mean spirited and sarcastic. He or she brings no credible dialogue or problem solving ideas to the conversation. The current problem with Evansville is that there are critics behind every keyboard. They are very vocal when it comes to complaining about crime, parks, streets and sidewalks but none of them offer solutions. Mr. Davis is bringing ideas and solutions to the public for scrutiny. Mr. Davis sat down with city employees, police officers, firefighters and everyone was treated fair and equal. Everyone walked out relieved and optimistic about the next 4 years. The last 7+ have been absolute hell. Considering this is an election we must deal with Missy Mosby and her minions utter nonsense a little longer. She has to win at all costs and none of them bring viable ideas or solutions. They only bring venom in their comments and carry terrible attitudes around with them. Its not a secret how the Mosby people operate. Its also not a secret that only a select few police and administrative people support her while the vast majority are ready for someone new. We only have to endure her and her supporters awful lies until Mays election. Unfortunately for some of us we have to deal with her until we are freed from her forever on January 1, 2016.
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