Arrogant authority

Friday, August 30, 2013

It's noon and I'm walking, with my camera, in Wellington Hills Park, south side of 240th SE St.

 
Where I'm standing to take these photos is an area that would be totally devastated IF the proposed sports complex is approved by the 5 person County Council.

The Department of Parks proposal is to level, gouge-out, de-water and terraform the existing park in order to bring commerce, traffic congestion and other related miscellaneous issues - such as noise and light pollution - to a residential neighborhood ...

Some might say, I'm just a NIMBY, "Not in my backyard" ... Okay, I'll accept that ... except in this case, which of you wants a mega-sports complex with stadium lights, crowds, noise, huge parking lots, traffic jams, etc. etc. etc. ...  in YOUR backyard?

Plain and simple, a sports complex belongs in an appropriate place - somewhere with good roads and adequate access from all directions - where crowds and noise are part of the daily comings and goings.

But here?  Get real.

Photos by
Bill Stankus

There will be no snickering

excepted from The Seattle Times, 

Conservation panel hears plans to preserve 
Snohomish County land
go here for the complete article:

"In Stanwood, the city would like to purchase for an estimated $2.3 million the 15-acre Ovenell Dairy Farm where the Stillaguamish River empties into Port Susan Bay and Skagit Bay. It’s in the city’s urban-growth area and zoned commercial. Buying it would preserve it, said city administrator Deborah Knight.

“The property is pretty unique. It has the former barn, milking shed, farmhouse and our long-term plan is to do ... a small education center and conference center,’’ Knight said. It has waterfront, and “We’d also be able to ensure the estuary habitat there would continue to thrive.’’

Other properties under consideration for Conservation Futures money include a nine-acre tract called Deer Creek Park next to the watershed in Woodway, for $3.5 million, and $2.7 million for a golf course and other properties adjoining the county’s Flowing Lake Park.

In King County, 111,000 acres of land, including forests, shorelines, greenways and trails, have been preserved under the Conservation Futures program, say officials.

Snohomish County lists its Conservation Futures acquisitions as totaling $80 million since the program began in the county in 1988.

The acquisitions, Tiegen (Snohomish County Parks and Recreation director) said, are a chance for the county to make priceless additions that will benefit “our grandchildren’s grandchildren.’’ 

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If you would like to write the Snohomish County Council:

snail mail - 3000 Rockefeller, M/S 609, Everett WA 98201

email - contact.council@co.snohomish.wa.us

click for County Council website

click website

for Conservation Futures 

For Tom Tiegen: 425-388-6617 

click website
for Department of Parks and Recreation

snail mail - 6705 Puget Park Drive, Snohomish WA 98296 

or email tom.teigen@snoco.org

And, as always, please think of the children.

Today, August 21, 2013

Here's an update, a feet-on-the-ground report.

Wellington Hills Park, owned and managed by Snohomish County ...

1.  There are no trash cans in Wellington Hills Park, so litter is accumulating. Beer cans seem popular.

2.  Pick-up truck drivers and motorcyclists are enjoying the former golf greens.

3. The former golf greens appears to be mowed by someone wearing a blindfold.

4. It's a Park without park benches.

And, someone, please tell me, what genius thought-up the plan to:

Cut down old trees, dig out and remove the soil, de-water the park and then flatten it ... and when the terraforming is finished to replace the once nice, natural park with giant parking lots, stadium lights, artificial turf fields, commercial buildings and a bunch of other trivial crap ... just so they can make a few bucks?

Can someone answer this ... Do you believe regional governments, when making a choice between "A" and "B", will choose correctly?

You already know the answer to that question.


Anyway, here's a few photos of today at the Park.

photos by Bill Stankus
August 2013

For Neighbors to Save Wellington Park (NSWP) news and updates

For news updates and other information concerning Neighbors to Save Wellington Park (NSWP)

please go to Save Wellington Park!


Thank you,

Bill Stankus