Not that much wrong with the old one but ..
Our little park here in Orchard Ridge, all 2.68 acres of it, is being renovated. The old basketball court and single light standard were removed several years ago. Can’t remember the last time it was used. The softball backstop got taken out earlier this year. Your squire organized a company softball game there almost 30 years ago but little used since. In August, the perfectly good (it says here) swing set and jungle gym were ripped out of the ground. Installed 24 years ago.
Our neighborhood is getting new playground equipment, a sand volleyball court, and a park shelter! Around the perimeter, a walking path. When we first moved here told the Lovely Lisa that the city was going to naturalize the park by introducing buffalo. She ran to the window and noted that some of our neighbors do not have fences. We laugh about that still today. (Well, me, mostly.)
Madison doesn’t rub two bricks together without commissioning an incredibly detailed report. So we learn that the park was farmed until 1952, when half of it was dedicated as a park before Mr. McKenna began construction on our homes the next year. (The Stately Manor went up in 1954).
The report even maps out each and every tree, the topography (from 1010 feet down to 990 above sea level). It is downslope to the north of the second of two ridges that give our neighborhood its name. Park is also heavily planted in crabapple trees; those aged specimens are barely hanging on and will be replaced.
Thursday 09-09-21, a huge earth moving machine began skimming off the topsoil (Dodge silt loam, sez the study) as neatly as a seamstress and her needle. Turns out the operator was the City of Madison’s first female heavy equipment operator. Margie tells her story:
Blaska’s Bottom Line: A fence (not electrified but the neighbors don’t know that) demarcates the Experimental Work Farm from the park. Looks like our plan has been dashed — that being to surreptitiously move the fence into the park to gain a few extra acres.
Education
Blaska Policy Werkes 
But, but but; I thought Madison parks were going to be on rotating usage for homeless encampments, how did this park miss that or are they doing this work now to better serve the homeless campers down the road?
There; that should stir up a hornets nest.
You’re welcome. 😉
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I know, I can be evil at times. 🙂
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Interesting interview with Marge the operator.
You will have a great view for watching the volleyball games.
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Shootings too.
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So much for NIMBY.
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Which heretofore unknown black person are they going to name it after?
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Check the police blotter for a properly aggrieved bipoc.
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We’re getting a new “park” on the Southeast Side as well!
It’ll have sewage, water, tents, shacks, “campers” crossing the street to bother the Firefighters, used needles strewn about, Friday Night Fights, etc, etc, etc.
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Already ripped out ball stop, planted tons of prairie weeds to hide mosquitos, ticks, only 5 people per week play in half court basketball area, ripped out full court. Tree huggers want to bring the prairie into the city, so I guess we get the woody feeling even though we did not want it. What a huge waste of money. So, they just stopped many teams of soft ball tee ball from practicing in the Spring. Really a dumb idea, but, like CA, tree huggers burn up everything in the end.
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Margie will now be promptly disciplined for speaking to you a.) without wearing a mask and b.) for not running it by their Public Information dept. Trust me, this happens all the time!
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