Fence - defined, with consequences

fence  

/fens/

Noun
A barrier, railing, or other upright structure, typically of wood or wire, enclosing an area of ground to mark a boundary, control...

Enclosures composed of any substance that will present an adequate blockade around a field, yard, or other such expanse of land for the purpose of prohibiting intrusions from outside.

...

Before the recent cold fog engulfed the area, I had taken a series of photos of the new post fence which lines both sides of 240th St. SE and some of 71st. Dr. SE.

view from 71st Dr. SE near intersection with 240th St. SE

I understand the value of a fence but fences aren’t just for keeping horses from running away or for keeping a dog from visiting the neighbors. Fences are blockades and are meant to separate the inside from the outside.  There’s good reason why prisons and schools have fences.

Of course a case can be made the new post fence is attractive and useful.  On that I agree, but I bet their current “use” is based on litigation reasons and not because it’s pretty. 

The more important issue is - the new fence defines a space (the Wellington Hills Park) which is being proposed as a (non-essential) make-over of the existing park into a commercial sports complex.  

Wellington Hills Park once felt open and inviting and that’s no longer the case, the park now has a significant perimeter fence making an iconic statement that it is a space with limited access.

Undulating terrain now threatened with tree cutting & earth flattening

A fenced natural area ... Of course, if the County prevails with their loony plan to cut down trees and flatten the ground ... the pretty fence will also come down because of movements of the bulldozers and earth movers.

Metal gate and sign of park rules

It’s curious ... isolate with fences, send in the bulldozers, cut down trees and flatten the ground. Hmmmm, the situation, the tools and results sought by land developers.  I wonder ....

all photos by Bill Stankus
1/13

The County's Halloween Trick

Tom Teigen said he was going to put a fence along 240th ... and here it is.


I would've preferred Snickers Bars for everyone.

photo courtesy of Heidi Ondrasik