Letter: City needs to put some money into other parks

Editor,

During a recent walk about town, I visited two parks that are near my residence and was appalled at the conditions. Holland Gardens Park was the first one I visited. Lots of people may be familiar with it as the Girl Scout hut is located on one corner of the park and the town’s remaining windmill is on the other side.

This park had a playground with swings and a slide at one time and was used quite a bit. But a few months ago the city tore out the swings, partially dismantled the picnic table and added a climbing wall.

In the process of doing this, the play area was torn up and studs were left sticking about 10 inches out of the ground: A serious hazard should someone fall on them and be impaled.

Other parts of equipment were left unfinished and the playground now sits with barricades and tape around it but an open invitation to curious children to play on.

I also visited Volunteer Park next to the John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool and as I walked along the ball fields on the south side of the park I noticed that someone had elected to relieve themselves next to the porta potty instead of in it and to smear fecal matter on the porta potty and equipment shed.

I find that remarkable since a very expensive video surveillance system was installed to cover the field facilities but apparently is neither monitored or checked.

It would seem to me that if the city has a million dollars to spend on a park kitchen, then the few dollars needed to finish Holland Gardens play area should be a no-brainer.

And why bother to install security if no one is watching?

Robert Clark

Oak Harbor