Testimony by J. Glenn Eugster to
the Alexandria City Council
December 13, 2008
Good day. I’m J. Glenn Eugster of 4022 Ellicott Street.
The residents of Marlboro Estates need your help.
Ft Ward Park is a wonderful place that many people love and use. It’s one of Alexandria’s assets and gives us a sense of who we were, are and will be.
Park use and management has destroyed historic, cultural and natural resources, had a negative impact on adjacent homes, and contributed to health, safety and crime problems.
City park managers have ignored, resisted and actively worked against residents who have expressed concerns about garbage, flooding, noise, crime, soil erosion and cultural resource degradation.
The City has developed and publicly released a study and recommendations—a plan for Ft. Ward Park without a goal, objectives or public input. It doesn’t include the entire park, fails to address identified community and cultural resource protection concerns. As written it will destroy important parts of the park’s history and sell the park, our heritage and the community short.
Help us please!
Please take time to do a plan for Ft. Ward Park with expert and public input at the start. The proposed approach doesn’t realize the full potential of the City or our residents.
Please remove the October 16, 2008 study and recommendations from the City’s website and design a process that brings people together to develop a plan rather than have government carry out a preconceived proposal for people to react to.
Please change the culture of the Parks & Recreation Department to carry out their duties in ways that are more honest, open, and respectful of adjacent landowners. Request the Department to be more collaborative and committed to protecting park values while pursuing recreation services.
We won’t get these ongoing problems solved, or achieve the economic, environmental, recreational or educational potential of this part of our community unless the Council sets a better direction. We can’t afford a “we” and “they” approach. It must be “us”. We do our best work when we work together. Help us please!
Thank you.
the Alexandria City Council
December 13, 2008
Good day. I’m J. Glenn Eugster of 4022 Ellicott Street.
The residents of Marlboro Estates need your help.
Ft Ward Park is a wonderful place that many people love and use. It’s one of Alexandria’s assets and gives us a sense of who we were, are and will be.
Park use and management has destroyed historic, cultural and natural resources, had a negative impact on adjacent homes, and contributed to health, safety and crime problems.
City park managers have ignored, resisted and actively worked against residents who have expressed concerns about garbage, flooding, noise, crime, soil erosion and cultural resource degradation.
The City has developed and publicly released a study and recommendations—a plan for Ft. Ward Park without a goal, objectives or public input. It doesn’t include the entire park, fails to address identified community and cultural resource protection concerns. As written it will destroy important parts of the park’s history and sell the park, our heritage and the community short.
Help us please!
Please take time to do a plan for Ft. Ward Park with expert and public input at the start. The proposed approach doesn’t realize the full potential of the City or our residents.
Please remove the October 16, 2008 study and recommendations from the City’s website and design a process that brings people together to develop a plan rather than have government carry out a preconceived proposal for people to react to.
Please change the culture of the Parks & Recreation Department to carry out their duties in ways that are more honest, open, and respectful of adjacent landowners. Request the Department to be more collaborative and committed to protecting park values while pursuing recreation services.
We won’t get these ongoing problems solved, or achieve the economic, environmental, recreational or educational potential of this part of our community unless the Council sets a better direction. We can’t afford a “we” and “they” approach. It must be “us”. We do our best work when we work together. Help us please!
Thank you.
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