Bedford Township Parks

[bdfrdres1]

How many times will the township put this on the ballot?  It was already voted down twice.  Will they just keep tring until it finally passes?  I think they should just give it up and quit trying to raise everybody's taxes.  It seems clear that the people in are happy with the parks we currently have.  We should try to maintain what we have instead of making more of something we will have trouble maintaining in the future.  We should spend more to fix our roads.

[Kantup5]

Yes it is frustrating that they keep hounding us when we say NO but when we say YES to something--- do they check back with us constantly to see if we have changed our minds
There should be a time limit that prohibits them from bringing a ballot question back to us within say a year or more.
The system works. We said NO now leave us alone about it.

[BedfordRes]

I'm not against more parks in Bedford but I want to know more about what they want to do.  And putting it half way to Monore is not the answer either.  The proposed location somewhere off Lewis and 151 is not very centrally located and would be impossible for all the kids in Bedford to get to on their own.

[crawdaddy65]

I AGREE WITH ALL THESE COMMENTS.  HOW CAN THEY KEEP ASKING WHEN WE ALREADY SAID NO!   I WILL NEVER SUPPORT A PARK LEVY AGAIN IN BEDFORD TOWNSHIP UNTIL THE LAND IS SOLD ON 151 AND LEWIS AVE.  THE TOWNSHIP BOUGHT THIS PARCEL WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY.  THIS UNNECESSARY PURCHASE IS THE WHOLE REASON THE PARKS CAN'T GET A LEVY PASSED.  SELL THIS LAND AND YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGHT SUPPORT.

[BedfordRes]

It seems to me they sort of scammed us on the purchase of land on 151 and Lewis.  All the talk was about needing more cemetary space in Bedford.  Nothing or very little about a park, but i could be wrong.  All of sudden we find the purchase of land was allocated something llike 25% for the cemetary and the other 75% could be for a park.

[Keith_G]

I'd like to know more about all the park issues ... I admittedly don't know much about the issues at hand.

My kids enjoy the parks here but the one thing I have always thought Bedford Township could use is a facility similar to Pacesetter Park in Sylvania. I had always envisioned the parcel of land at the corner of Secor and Smith which is currently being developed would have been a great spot for such a park.

The money is a big issue and I need to look into what all the levy is asking for and what it will result in. I am of the frame of mind though if it would be good for kids and families I have a hard time saying no .... I am a big softy when it comes to things of that nature. (Of course if its frivilous than I cannot support it).

[80mule]

Bedford does need somthing along the lines of Pacesetter Park!  No one can use White pard for tounaments because 3B has exclusive rights to the park and to get it you have to go through more red tape than anyone should have to.  Of Course they pay their $1 a year lease and that makes everything allright.  What's the difference as to where it's located.  How about the corner of Lewis and Temperance, oops, something already there.  How about Jackman and Sterns?  Oops try again.  Put it at one end of the township, the people at the other end are going to complain, and vice-versa.  Put it where it's proposed to be, bring in baseball/softball tournaments, and you'll get traffic into downtown Temperance.  It could use a shot in the arm.

[Lamont Cranston]

Park Board Members will be at the Trade Fair.

[truebluemom]

From what I hear lights will be installed on the baseball diamonds at White Park soon.  I think that it is long over due!  It will give many more residents a chance to use the park, not only little leaguers but adult softball leagues.  That is a pretty expensive project.  I wonder who loaned 3B the money to go ahead with the project.  Think that I will stop by the 3B booth at the trade fair and see if they are taking donations for the lighting project.

Bedford does need somthing along the lines of Pacesetter Park!  No one can use White pard for tounaments because 3B has exclusive rights to the park and to get it you have to go through more red tape than anyone should have to.  Of Course they pay their $1 a year lease and that makes everything allright.  What's the difference as to where it's located.  How about the corner of Lewis and Temperance, oops, something already there.  How about Jackman and Sterns?  Oops try again.  Put it at one end of the township, the people at the other end are going to complain, and vice-versa.  Put it where it's proposed to be, bring in baseball/softball tournaments, and you'll get traffic into downtown Temperance.  It could use a shot in the arm.

[crawdaddy65]

NO MORE PARKS, WE HAVE ENOUGH!!!!

[Keith_G]

NO MORE PARKS, WE HAVE ENOUGH!!!!

For a community our size, I disagree.

I watch my children run around soooo happy at Carr and White Park but there could be more to do and more options ... nature paths, etc. The playground updates are nice, the skate park at Parmalee is a great idea.

Unless I am missing something there are 3 Township Parks ... White, Carr, and Parmalee (I would hardly consider Indian Creek a park). Vienna is maintained by the County. But you know a majority of the parks are ball fields and small playgrounds, not much nature space. I would love to see this expanded, created, whatever.

This levy isn't asking much ... $17.50 a year on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 (that is different that the actual value). And we're talking kids here ... my kids, your kids, nieces, nephews, grandkids, etc. They deserve to have more options of things to do ... there isn't much for the younger ones to do in the Township.

I know money is tight .. trust me I understand that but you're looking at essentially $1.46 a month using the figure listed above. That is a direct investment in your township, your home, your community, and for your neighbors. That doesn't seem frivilous to me, it seems like a great and necessary addition to our community.

[crawdaddy65]

WHITE, CARR, INDIAN CREEK, SAMARIA, PARMALEE & VIENNA ARE OUR CURRENT PARKS. 5 OR 6 PARKS IN A COMMUNITY THIS SIZE SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME.  WHITEFORD TWP IS BUILDING A BIG PARK ON STERNS ROAD.  THE DIFFERENCE WITH THEM IS THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY VOTED ON IT LAST YEAR.  IF WE HAD A CHANCE TO VOTE ON THE NEW PARK I WOULD FEEL DIFFERENTLY.  BUT OUR TOWNSHIP BOUGHT THE LAND WITHOUT HOLDING A VOTE AND NOW THEY WANT MORE $$.  I THINK THE COOMUNITY HAS SPOKEN, MORE THAN ONCE, THAT THEY DO NOT WANT THE NEW PARK. 

[Keith_G]

Caps Lock man ....  ease up on the all upper case.

From what I have read this levy isn't intended to fund the new park, solely, and that the parks board has no funds or insufficient funds to operate and maintain the parks we currently do have. I'd have to do my research on the purchase of the park but I don't think that is the only issue at hand here.

I forgot about Samaria Park and Vienna is a county park but lets break down the amenities of these parks.

White Park has 6 ball diamonds, a playground area, picnic area, an RC Car track, and a couple of basketball courts.
Indian Creek has simply ball diamonds, correct? In fact, couldn't we just call this an extension of White Park?
Samaria has a Community Center Building, a ball diamond, and a very small playground. I believe there is a small picnic area as well.
Parmalee has the softball field, the skate park, and a playground.
Vienna has some ball diamonds, the disc golf course .... is there a playground there? The county maintains this park anyhow.
Carr has the Community Center, a basketball court, a ball diamond, and a play ground.

So the township has 5 parks it needs to maintain and upkeep .... nevermind the new park. I haven't seen any ballot language that strictly indicates what the levy funds would be used for but what has been put in print indicates operations and maintenance. I also see the millage has been brought down as well.

I hope everyone will at least momentarily set aside their hard feelings regarding this matter and the fact that we're being asked again for more money and look at the levy objectively and from a fresh approach. I think I am going to vote for it, for my children, my friends children, and my children's friends to have safe and maintained parks to play in. I also remember playing ball growing up at White Park and if it can't be maintained wouldn't that put those ball games in jeopardy? We're talking a nickel a day cost for a house with a taxable value of $100,000 (roughly a home valued at $200,000).

All I ask is for everyone to take a second and look hard at what they're asking for before coming to a conclusion on how you plan to vote. I have made my impassioned plea ....

[BedfordRes]

Pretty soon this upgrading of White park for the boys is going to come back to bite someone whether 3B raises some of the funds or not.  The girls have crap to play on compared to the boys.  That isn't going to go over very well with some of the folks.

[Keith_G]

Pretty soon this upgrading of White park for the boys is going to come back to bite someone whether 3B raises some of the funds or not.  The girls have crap to play on compared to the boys.  That isn't going to go over very well with some of the folks.

Why? At the high school level I would say the fields are equally nice. As far as where Community Ed softball is played, I don't know and this is another reason I think a Pacesetter type of facility would be great for the Township.