[Mpls] Nicollett Islands' regional park

[Ron Werner]

As a former park board employee, recently retired, with no ties to DeLaSalle 
or Nicollet Island,(except to travel around-through the area occassionally) 
I would like to weigh in on the football field issue. For thirty plus years, 
the area in question to be donated to DeLaSalle has been an open field 
consisting of grass/weeds. It has been devoid of park users  for the thirty 
plus years I have been acquainted with the area and resembles a large vacant 
lot--not a regional park.  Even the public tennis courts get very little 
usage. Why would people be attracted to this large vacant lot when there are 
so many other attractions nearby?  People are attracted to the River Road 
with pedestrian and bike paths on both the east and west side, the Stone 
Arch Brdge, Mills Ruins Park, Boom Island Park,St. Anthony Falls, and the 
majestic force of the river. Theodore Wirth, the great visionary and 
landscape architect of this great park system strongly believed that parks 
must attract users--not just to have parkland sit vacant. The much maligned 
park board has done a great job re-shaping the downtown riverfront. It meets 
the criteria of Wirth by becoming a destination and inducing people to leave 
their cars and meander through the park area. I believe Nicollett Island 
residents are beneficiaries of this wonderful riverfront revival.  I'm in 
support of the football field. I firmly believe that with the shared use 
agreement, both the Islanders and DeLaSalle and the general public will 
benefit from the transaction.  This currently unused space will provide 
enjoyment that Wirth envisioned a park system should provide, especially for 
the kids.   jrwarner--cedar lake area

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