PeoriaIllinoisan has a great blog entry today about Krug Park in St. Joseph, Missouri, and its similarities to the Peoria Park District. Check it out!
And speaking of the park district, I’ve been hearing rumors that there’s a petition drive on the East Bluff — an attempt to identify the “silent majority” that wants the Glen Oak/White replacement school built in Glen Oak Park. I guess they want to petition the Park Board to reconsider their recent decision to not allow park land to be shared for a school site at Prospect and Frye. If this rumor is true, it will be interesting to see how many people sign the petition, if all the signatures are valid, and if Jim Stowell and David Gorenz consider these activists to be a “very vocal minority.”
Thanks PeoriaIllinoisan and Krug Park was restored in 1979 one year after Mayor Wiser said in 1978….
“We will have it fixed up by next summer so people can use it the way it was intended, as a picnic area and park. Krug Park is potentially one of the greatest assets the city has”
http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/uprr/cities/missouri.html
Project Sponsor: St. Joseph
Project: Krug Park
Federal Share: $376,281
Fiscal Year: 1979
Description: Renovated lagoon wall, sidewalks and rails, installed new playground equipment, and structural improvements to Castle building.
Perhaps a third candidate for PPD Park President will run on that campaign platform — to restore Glen Oak Park…..
Once again, the boat is leaving without us… throwing away our history….
The “Castle Building” is absolutely amazing, though you’ll stand there wondering how much more grandios e it used to look. There’s also a nice lagoon, an amphitheatre and a new gazebo area. I’ve been there many times, but I looked at it from a different point of view this time. From walking around the Castle and knowing how much history is in this town, I just knew that there used to be a lot more to this park but I really didn’t know how much was missing until I pulled out the book I had stashed away years ago. So when you say “restored” you have to take it with a grain of salt. Can’t restore what’s not there.
If you’re interested, here’s a site with some good photos of the park:
http://members.fortunecity.com/wuppie/parks.htm
and a little commentary:
“Deteriation and physical damage is noticable throughout the castle. One shot shows massive damage on the castle entrance stairs. The city’s park department doesn’t seem to be upkeeping the park’s structures very well. Areas that are have been repaired appear to be done very sloppy with concrete just dumped on.”
One more thing- the Krug Park book is brutally honest and detailed about the park’s demise. Contrast that with the Peoria Park District’s book which is full of self promotion, excuses and pictures of things that don’t exist.
I have to wonder: back in the day, before air conditioning, TV game consoles, computers, parks were a place people went to cool off from the summer’s heat, play with their kids and among other things, escape hot kitchens for a cook out. Still up to the 80’s, parks were a place for Sunday picnics and family re-unions. Then came the recession of the 80’s. Jobs were lost, un-employment was high, CAT was always on strike and money was tight for the city and park services. Parks fell to decay for lack of use and money. Much like the library today is losing it’s usefullness because of the internet. (I still think that the library is a wonderful resource)
My point? Maybe dumping loads of money into something, like Glen Oak Park, to bring it back to the way it was is like trying to bring back the dial telephone. Lifestyles today don’t want nor want to support certian parks. Too bad, because Glen Oak was a beautiful place in it’s day but I’m afraid those days are lost forever. With that said, what better way to improve an inter city green area then build a new school on one of it’s worse corners in the hope that will bring in people. Is that not why they are building a new Zoo? Nothing breathes life like young children using an area that is full of green space and trees. But, those in the area didn’t want a new school in “their” park (which by the way, belongs to all Peorians) and so far the project has been nixed. Now what? Do you all really think the Park Board is going to pour money into a seldom used park and people will flock there? I doubt it.
P.S. Please don’t say that there are a lot of sucessful parks around, like St Louis, and wherever. I know there are but I am talking about Peoria and the location of Glen Oak Park. Bradley Park is used and is kept up pretty well but it has Corn Stock, lower Bradley park has B.U. and it’s upper section borders a Parkside drive where residents won’t let the park slide. Detwiller has it’s soccer clubs.
I think that we need to look at why parks are used from more than just air conditioning and past economic hardships. To me, many small neighborhood parks are far superior to the few large parks we have.
Columbia Park seems like one of the best we have in town. It’s a block large, has a functional and fun play area, open fields for pickup football and baseball, an adjacent libaray and newley planted trees which offer shade to parents and others who would like to take in the atmosphere of a neighborhood enclave. Large private yards are only a necessity when you have to drive and make a concerted effort to goto the park. Neighborhood parks within 5-10 minutes walk or 2-5 minutes on your bike are exactly what the doctor ordered in terms of inner-city parkland.