Decisions Need To Be Made On Lake, Forest

You could hear the frustration in Fairfield Alderman Gary Moore’s voice as he addressed the City’s Park District Board last night. He was up front is saying he was speaking as a citizen---not as one of eight votes on the city council.

Moore wanted to hear, first hand, what was on the minds of the Park Board on two topics-----the Atkinson Forest and the development of a new lake at Lakeside Park. At least a few park board members spoke----They’d love to see both projects----but they have the same problem the city has. They don’t have the cash.

The park board hopes the city needs the lake to deal with this summer’s drainage issues….and while the lake would certainly help those issues….it is impossible to say it would solve the problems. You would have to prove that to have a chance at a grant. There would have to be the purchase and maintenance of an unspecified parcel of land to turn into wetlands—as a trade---to make it all possible.

As for the forest, the group that wants it says it has a lot of money to throw at the project…but only if the city ponies up at least $30-thousand dollars a year for the foreseeable future to maintain it. The park board has too many other issues to seriously entertain Atkinson. They are spectators.

So the next move on the lake has to be made by the city. Same for the forest.

 I have said the proponents should just form a non-for-profit; pool their pledges and start work. But they are holding out for a long-term commitment from the city.

They deserve an answer.