IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #30

[tlcya]

thanks for your prospective as a local squeeze.

As I've said, I have no dog in the Angel Park controversy either way but I do appreciate hearing the local POVs on this and it seems to me they are just as varied as those reflected here.

 

[otto]

If they want to name the park, Angels' Park, go ahead. But I think the constant memorial theme throughout it is a bit much.

The illustrations have a feel to them that remind me of this:

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

LOL otto... I want to see more My Little Pony parks in the world... and the ones with real wings that fly!

But seriously, that is exactly my thought.

AND--- They need YOU on the planning committee... yours look like reality. Great job!

 

[BunnyHop]

According to a witness, it was Lizzie who was seen often in the neighborhood. Chatty and friendly. That fateful day, Lyric was along for the ride. :moo:

Just thinking again, if Lizzie was seen often in the neighborhood....
who did she ride with? Was there another friend she went there with?

Just thinking.

 

[otto]

LOL otto... I want to see more My Little Pony parks in the world... and the ones with real wings that fly!

But seriously, that is exactly my thought.

AND--- They need YOU on the planning committee... yours look like reality. Great job!

Thanks ... I'm just rendering a couple of views. One thing that I'm wondering about is the stairs that are needed to get to the paddleboat dock. They should be concrete to avoid having to constantly maintain them ... and there's the dock itself, which appears to be about 50'x50'. That's probably made of plastic modular dock components. The cost is what has me bewildered. On top of that dock is another gazebo ... so that's not going to sit on a modular dock. That means it has to have a solid structural foundation ... but then there's the problem of flooding and fluxuating water levels. Basically, something about the stairs, dock and gazebo seems unfeasible. Actually, in the illustration plan view, there are not stairs ... it's just two boxes, one for the ground level of the other buildings, and one for the ground level of the water ... no stairs.

Is this group thinking that they can raise a couple of million? What about maintaining the grounds ... there needs to be a maintenance shed for the equipment. I grew up on a property where we kept 10 acres of land groomed. It was a summer long event to keep that healthy, mowed ... and so much more. Here's, we have 5-6 acres of land??? Is a retaining wall going to be needed to keep the dirt from sliding into the water (the trees would have acted as a natural retaining wall until now). This project seems nice, I suppose, but it does not seem to have moved beyond the artists conception ... and at the same time, construction/demolition has begun.

low maintenance all-weather modular dock system: http://www.candock.com/

 

[BunnyHop]

Being a local, I too was somewhat shocked when I saw the island at Meyers Lake almost completely stripped of trees. But, having heard and read the news reports of why the trees had to be taken, it makes perfect sense to me. The island was completely neglected in the past, and the trees, to my knowledge, have never been trimmed or thinned out. And with the ground uneven, it wouldn't make sense to half-cover a tree to make the ground more level, or to have some teetering dangerously above ground. I also read most of the comments on the couriers article. People living near the lake have valid points. Yet one thing is for sure, nothing stays the same. You can do what you want with your own property but you cannot expect the landscape around you to stay the same. I also know that many people around here don't like change, and many that are complaining they didn't know never pick up a newspaper or watch the news, or heaven forbid, attend a council meeting. I have faith that it will be beautiful in the end. JMO.

IMHO, the island looked very green to me based on many pics up thread.

It looked natural. As I mentioned, I live on a lake with 2 large islands. They are very natural and untouched. No one here thinks twice about them. We accept them as they are, and appreciate them for what they are.

 

[Unique444]

The illustrations have a feel to them that remind me of this:

lolololol :fence:

 

[Bootsctr]

http://wcfcourier.com/news/evansdal...cle_d2fc0dc1-06be-5ddd-a514-84286f885563.html

Heather Collins said she would like to see the handprints of Lyric's and Elizabeth's classmates incorporated into the design.

She said on Easter Sunday she and her family drove to Meyers Lake.

"I imagined us going to that island and just being able to sit there," she said. "Right now, it's ugly and it's a mess, but we'll get there."

Board members and volunteers will meet next at 6 p.m. April 22 at Meyers Lake.

Maybe more concerned citizens will attend the April 22nd meeting.

 

[Marilynilpa]

The illustrations have a feel to them that remind me of this:

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[foxbluff]

But what about the issue of how the trees blocked the noise from the interstate?

Also, I'm pretty sure that the trees being cut down was never mentioned in the media or at any City Council meeting....

bbm - ITA !! I'll take it a step further and dare say that imho if there had not been any public outrage at the end result of tree removal, then no expanation would have ever been given.

Good, bad, or indifferent... that's my honest opinion.

 

[Marilynilpa]

I've read some of the comments on the news websites and some people are saying that this major renovation will make the park safer for children. The problem I see with that is that Maiden Lane is still where it was before, it is still as secluded as it was when the children were abducted, and the trail is going to be just as enticing as it always was. That is, renovating the Island will not prevent children from cycling to the drainage pipe and it will not prevent a predator from potentially abducting children at Maiden Lane and taking them to 7 Bridges Country Park to be murdered.

Great point! If someone wanted/needed to chop down bushes and trees, why not tackle the Maiden Lane area? That would make the lake safer for children, IMO, and would be a wonderful tribute to the girls.

 

[Squeeze]

But what about the issue of how the trees blocked the noise from the interstate?

Also, I'm pretty sure that the trees being cut down was never mentioned in the media or at any City Council meeting....

Yes, they did block the noise. But these people do live near an interstate. I mean really, you have to expect there to be noise. And, there are trees on the other side of the lake, between the lake and the interstate. I'm sure once the leaves bud out, that will help somewhat. Ans they can add more trees on that side.

It was mentioned that some trees were going to be taken down in order to make it a usable park. But as with any project, you just never know what you will find until you start. Again, it was a neglected island. It had not been maintained in any way. It wasn't a matter of just cutting down a few trees. If you want a usable space for people to gather, it has to be done right.

 

[otto]

Meyers Lake Proposal Rendering: Dock

 

[foxbluff]

Just thinking again, if Lizzie was seen often in the neighborhood....
who did she ride with? Was there another friend she went there with?

Just thinking.

IDK but I've wondered abt the same... older brother, perhaps?

 

[otto]

Yes, they did block the noise. But these people do live near an interstate. I mean really, you have to expect there to be noise. And, there are trees on the other side of the lake, between the lake and the interstate. I'm sure once the leaves bud out, that will help somewhat. Ans they can add more trees on that side.

It was mentioned that some trees were going to be taken down in order to make it a usable park. But as with any project, you just never know what you will find until you start. Again, it was a neglected island. It had not been maintained in any way. It wasn't a matter of just cutting down a few trees. If you want a usable space for people to gather, it has to be done right.

There were houses at the lake before the interstate was built, so it's more like the other way around. The interstate was built near their homes and the manmade Island provided a sound barrier. It happened at the same time - about 1980.

I read that Drew and City Council agreed that Drew would tag the sick trees. It was a neglected Island in terms of "people use", but it was a wildlife habitat, a sound barrier, and the trees prevented soil erosion. I doubt that the manmade Island was ever intended for "people use." We'll see ... it's too late to turn back.

 

[Bootsctr]

There were houses at the lake before the interstate was built, so it's more like the other way around. The interstate was built near their homes and the manmade Island provided a sound barrier. It happened at the same time - about 1980.

I read that Drew and City Council agreed that Drew would tag the sick trees. It was a neglected Island in terms of "people use", but it was a wildlife habitat, a sound barrier, and the trees prevented soil erosion. I doubt that the manmade Island was ever intended for "people use." We'll see ... it's too late to turn back.

I'm thinking if the area is hit by a deluge of spring rain, with most of the trees being gone, there may not be much of an island left. . .

 

[Bootsctr]

Just thinking again, if Lizzie was seen often in the neighborhood....
who did she ride with? Was there another friend she went there with?

Just thinking.

I wonder how well LE questioned friends of the girls. Someone in their age group may have a good idea of who took the girls, or even have seen something that day, but is scared to come forward, even to their parents. I still think a PI would be a good idea.

 

[gregjrichards]

There is a lake near me that I love to go to when I am worried about my health and other problems to escape for a while. It has a lake with paddle boats, swans and ducks and is very well maintained. The only issue with this lake is every few meters there is a memorial bench dedicated to someone who has passed. A few steps along from the bench there is a memorial tree with someone's name, birth date and death with flowers. This cycle continues right round the lake and people found it so depressing they campaigned for the majority of the benches to be removed and the tree tributes to be toned down.

My point is that they have to be very careful to ensure that the lake is somewhere people can enjoy despite the terrible loss that has occurred.

It is very sad we have to discuss a memorial at the lake instead of the capture and trial of the persons responsible for this terrible crime. Maybe one day we will get news I pray we do.

 

[otto]

Meyers Lake, Evansdale Rendering: Shelter/Aerial/SE View/Dock
(just putting them together in one post)

 

[otto]

I'm thinking if the area is hit by a deluge of spring rain, with most of the trees being gone, there may not be much of an island left. . .

If that happens, funds will be needed to restore it to its original condition ... pretty much as it was in 1980 ... I would think. In 30 years, there will be trees and nesting areas, like there was a month ago.