Future site of the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth playground project.
Portsmouth Mayor James Kalb was in North Carolina over the weekend, but said in a telephone interview that the first time he heard there were any problems with the project was Thursday when he began receiving calls from concerned citizens that digging may be damaging “important trees and state-listed trees.
“For some reason, when they started digging, they moved from the original location and now the playground is around some trees,” Kalb said. “I told them that I would be out of town over the weekend, so I just asked them (city employees) to stop work until I got back.”
Kalb said his understanding of the situation is that the digging may be damaging the root system of some important trees, and it’s a matter of getting everyone together to make the necessary adjustments.
According to Jim Warnock, one of the concerned citizens, a meeting is planned Monday but at press time there was no time set for the meeting. Additionally, Ann Bonner, an urban forester from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, will inspect the situation at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
Warnock said Tracy Park was never meant to be a playground for children.
“When it was dedicated, it was a tree arboretum, that’s why there are so many trees in the park,” he said. However, he added, “Kiwanis is a great organization and does a great amount of good.”
Warnock said he is not against Kiwanis, he is just concerned with the safety of the children.
“I’m not representing any organization. I’m a private citizen that loves the park and wants children to be safe,” he said.
The Kiwanis Kids Day, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Tracy Park will go on as planned, LaValley said. She said the club will notify the community as to when the dedication will be rescheduled as soon as a new date is set.
In the press release, LaValley said “The Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth also wants to reassure the community that we are very excited and committed to the playground in Tracy Park. We began this project over one year ago to provide a free and healthy form of recreation to area children and their families. We are eagerly looking forward to the playground’s completion and as always the members of our club take to heart the Kiwanis International motto of ‘serving the children of the world.’”
DEBORAH DANIELS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 234
Tracey Park may never have been intended as a playground, but intentions change and have to keep moving forward, otherwise ideas stagnant. Was anyone upset when they tore down the old bus station to build the new stadium? It was a piece of history, not to mention a beautiful piece of architecture. A stadium seemed to have more utility wrapped up in it than an old building. A playground, a good playground, in the downtown area will have more utility, especially under those trees than Tracey Park as it stands. There used to be a carousel there, afterall.
Lastly, I feel the need to remind everyone that our children are the greatest gifts we will ever receive; what we do today will always carry a great impact upon them. We should always make decisions with them in mind.