Loki Anderson writes:
"Does anyone know what kind of park building is being
planned for Bottineau? Are they just going to get the
same kind of building that they had (but accessible)
or are there plans to build one like they have in
Whittier or MLK?"
Don't look for a Whittier.
Bottineau Park was destroyed by an arson fire more than two years ago and
was subsequently razed. A citizen committee had been meeting for at least a
year to determine what kind of building should replace it. Walt Dziedzic,
our park commissioner, convinced neighbors that a temporary domed field
house, with a maximum 15 year life span, and a permanent building that will
be about half the size of the old one, was all we could "afford." This in
spite of the fact that dedicated funds of about 1.5 million or so, including
a $500,000 grant from the city were awarded to restore the building. The
exact numbers are fading from my aging brain, but these are in the ballpark.
The architects hired for the project came up with a building that could be
improved over the old and done within the budget. Walt kept whining about
"other needs" in the community that were not being met. I asked him if these
funds were dedicated solely to Bottineau. He admitted that they were and
could not be used for "other needs."
I was unable to attend most of the meetings because of my work schedule, but
I asked several residents why they were caving in to a design that was of
dubious longevity, would give us only half the space we had in the old
building and would severely restrict current programming. Walt told them
that was all we could get for the money, and they believed him. Some thought
the domed field house was a good thing, and that we should "give it a
chance." Of course, if it proves to be folly, we have no fall back plan for
the next 20 or 30 years.
This park building serves four neighborhoods. The old building was not large
enough and had no regulation gym. NRP funds had to be used to replace
splintered playground equipment and install more trees in 1994. The trees
were yanked out for the new building and domed field house. Not sure about
the fate of the playground equipment since it pains me even to walk by the
park these days.
If you look at the butt ugly new East Side Neighborhood Services building a
block away, the converted cinder block industrial building that is now a
charter school and whatever is emerging at Bottineau Park, we will have
perhaps the ugliest two-block area in the city for miles (we are, after all,
about three miles from the Quarry).
All of our elected officials who represent the area are DFL endorsees. Just
thought I would throw that in (I was the lone "no" vote for Walt's crowning
at the DFL city convention). This is just another example of how "lower"
northeast gets sold out by its elected officials. We nearly always have to
settle for second best, or more often, one step up from disaster. Yet they
keep getting the blessing of the DFL activists, so why should they change?
Fran Guminga
Bottineau, Ward 3
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