01/04/2001 Park Board Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Park Development for Quail Ridge • 1/4/01 Dear members of the Lino Lakes Park and Recreation Board: We strongly urge you to complete planning AND construction of the Quail Ridge neighborhood park this year (2001). This park would provide service not only for our neighborhood, but also for the neighborhoods along Pheasant Run and Blackduck Drive that run to the north of Birch Street. The first houses in the Quail Ridge neighborhood were started nearly EIGHT years ago. The northside neighborhoods of Blackduck Drive /Pheasant Run were established even earlier. All of these residents have been without a park for long enough! Currently, the nearest parks to these neighborhoods (which are Birch Park and Brandywood) require children and their parents to both cross Birch Street and walk along its shoulder. This is a very hazardous situation for a number of reasons. Cars moving along Birch Street at the posted speed limits are traveling at 50/55 mph; we all realize that sometimes drivers are cruising even faster. Because of a small hill on Birch Street that is located just east of our neighborhood, it is possible to begin crossing the road with no cars in sight and then to nearly be struck by one of these drivers. (We are speaking from experience.) The recent "re- painting" of Birch Street means that pedestrians are forced to walk not only on the shoulder, but also in defined turn lanes, further exacerbating pedestrian safety issues. Completion of the Quail Ridge Neighborhood Park must address the issue of safe access, be it by the originally planned bridge(s) and trail (preferable) or an alternate trail access which does not require placing any children in harm's way on Birch Street. We are aware that a small (but vocal) minority in our neighborhood are opposed to reinstating the bridge and connecting the trail. However, these individuals bought their lots and built their homes KNOWING that a park and its associated access were in the plan. Indeed, the bridge itself was in place prior to these individuals closing on their properties! Their initial opposition to the planned park included the following: 1) loss of trees behind their homes; 2) potential for vandalism; and 3) bridge safety. With respect to loss of trees, the Park and Rec Board came back with a park plan which incorporated a picnic area on the land parcel closest to these homeowners thus limiting the number of trees to be lost. Regarding potential vandalism: Usage of the park by families would REDUCE the potential for vandalism by making it difficult for vandals to accurately predict when the park and associated trail might be in use. Lastly, the safety of the bridge(s) to access our park is paramount to ALL of us concerned -- residents and planners alike. The previous unsafe bridge has been dismantled and hauled away. We are confident that a safe bridge can be designed, built and maintained. There are MANY young children in our neighborhood of 30 -some houses (over 60 children under the age of 12). And remember, this park would also service a LARGE population of residents along Blackduck Drive and Pheasant Run north of Birch who also do not have a park. This park could be a place of community that bridges these neighborhoods in our city. Please be champions for our children and provide them the opportunity for a fun, safe place to play! Thank you for your time and assistance . Sincerely, Tom and Kim Pawlak, Quail Ridge Residents