IN ITS CIVIC LIFE, Emporia has its eyes firmly fixed to the north and west. Development plans are focused around and on the far side of Interstate 35 and the Kansas Turnpike.
That’s fine. That is where the land is for expansion. Growth, properly managed, brings jobs and jobs bring people. That is why city and development officials dream of new companies, national retail chains and big-box stores. Commerce feeds the coffers of communities.
But it would be wrong to value Emporia solely for its potential for expansion and not for the mature amenities that feed and otherwise nurture Emporia’s soul.
A Sunday-afternoon drive through Soden’s Grove revealed a cultural resource that, if it could be weighed on the scales, would at least balance the commercial heft around 18th Avenue and Industrial Road.
Cars were already filling the parking spaces around the entrance of the David Traylor Zoo, where shaded, winding walks and bright flowers offered respite from what promised to be another muggy July day. Under the trees to the south of the zoo, the steel rails of the Sertoma Club’s miniature railroad curved through the dappled shade, waiting for the day’s first trainload of children and parents.
Unfortunately, no one has yet figured out how to design a shady outdoor baseball diamond, so the teams playing at the Soden’s Grove field were exerting themselves in full sunlight. But the spectators lounged in shade along the third-base line and in the elegant new covered stands behind home plate.
Around the rest of the park, the large old trees shaded the cars of people preparing for picnics and of anglers who had walked the few steps down to the river to cast their lines.
And Soden’s Grove is not the only such fine old park offering shaded refuge to the people of Emporia in the summer. Peter Pan Park has its own ball diamonds and picnic areas, as well as a lake, a fine old wading pool and a wonderful new playground.
Fremont Park is only one block square, but besides its grassy, sunlit lawns and deep pools of shade, it has an old Santa Fe steam locomotive and caboose and the fine rebuilt bandstand where, each week in the summer, the Emporia Municipal Band offers its free concerts.
These parks are treasures for the community — tended (and sometimes, sadly, neglected) over the decades by generations of Emporians. Now they are oases of pleasure and calm.
As Emporia grows to the north and west, the city should look back to these parks as a model for new and existing parks in the new areas. A good start has been made with Jones Park and the Jones Aquatic Center, but the park could use some more shade and the pool needs more extensive landscaping, not only to provide shade and cool the hilltop wind, but to screen the swimmers from the turnpike.
Big-box stores are nice to have available, but on a hot summer day, you can’t beat a shady park.
Patrick S. Kelley
Editorial Page Editor
Comments
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gg (anonymous) says...
Amazing how the poster OBSERVATION turned a topic about Emporia's parks into an anti-Obama tirade. Some things never change, it appears racism and/or party before country lives on.
July 14, 2009 at 9:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Deepthoughts (anonymous) says...
Oh give me a break gg! Amazing how YOU turned Observation's post that showed his/her disagreement with Obama's policies into a RACIST issue when there was no mention of race.
So according to you, no one is allowed to disagree with a black person otherwise it's racism?!
July 14, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
One of my neighbors works on the Parks and Recreation Committee and while it's true that the parks have received some additional attention over the past few years and are looking better, it is amazing how he has to fight to get that attention on our side of town. To get any landscaping done in the existing ones is a battle here, while it is done routinely in the towns our leaders try to emulate.....ones with lower tax rates, even.
I finally did find some sidewalk additions and improvements, so that was a little encouraging, but there are still so many unattended sidewalks. That falls under former city management, though. All those years of Steve Commons saw virtually no repairs to existing sidewalks if they were east of Prairie St. However, the city commissioners could have made it happen.
Anyway, my point is, that outdoor enjoyment still comes with some big obstacles in our little town. All you have to do is go for a walk with a stroller or cane/walker to see what I mean.
July 14, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
"I'm thinking that he is going to tax everyone heavily who has earned over $250."
I don't know about "heavily," but yes, he did say all the while he was campaigning that those who make $250 K or more should shoulder more of the load. I don't have a problem with that. However, no laws have been passed so far, Observation. You make it sound like it's a done deal. That has to go through Congress first.
Still, it sounds fair to me, especially because I've always paid my share and then some because I was a single parent household. After the two kids left, I had no more deductions, and that was nearly 30 years ago.
Maybe people who make $250 K or more have more tax shelters too. Maybe adjustments should be made about that. Why shouldn't they pay more? They make more. Sounds fair to me.
July 14, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gg (anonymous) says...
Read my post, I said and/or! Do you understand now? Regardless, how did a topic concerning Emporia Parks become a political attack forum?
July 14, 2009 at 11:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
If you say anything not great about Obama you must be one of two things, either racist or partisan. There is nothing else it could possibly be. Nothing. Nope. Not a thing. Nada.
July 14, 2009 at 1:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Yeah, sometimes everyday, and definitely on Fridays. LOL
July 14, 2009 at 2:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )