Park a gem for residents to treasure

Opinions abound about what should be done with the old water filtration plant.

Odds are that if you get three people in a discussion about the issue, you will get at least five different ideas and options.

The building itself is historic but has long since outlived its original purpose. Certainly it can be left alone and admired like the sculptures that flank its eastern side in the Teddy Fenton Memorial Park Reflections Center.

It can be restored and used to teach visitors about the city’s early days and history.

Or it can be repurposed and used as something that will benefit community members, such as the buildings at ABC Park that now house an art center, youth center and fitness center.

There’s no rush to make a decision or even a compelling reason to have to make one. For now, it’s not in danger of falling apart or being demolished.

Council members voted last week to rezone the parcel under the water filtration plant as government park, which conforms to the city’s master plan and is how the land is being used.

Residents passionately spoke their minds about the zoning change when it was proposed, often hurling epithets at those who disagreed with them.

Whether you agree with the decision or not, now that it has been made it must be accepted.

So it’s time to take advantage of the park and not let it sit idle.

Sure, it’s been the site of a couple of special events in recent years, and the few people who have plots in the community gardens visit regularly. But what about the rest of us?

There are benches where you can sit and reflect on the day’s events and sidewalks so you can stroll through the sculpture garden. There’s even a picnic bench if you want to stop by for lunch or a snack.

The city is putting the final touches on a $95,000 project that is improving the irrigation system, adding lights, replacing dead plants with new landscaping and securing the benches better.

When it’s done, the park will be another gem in the city’s treasure chest.

It may be tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, but it’s time for it to be in the spotlight. Perhaps if more people appreciate what is or could be at the park, there will be fewer disagreements when it comes to looking toward its future.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.