IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #30

[Squeeze]

:rocker: That's exactly what I posted several pages back. If they wanted to make the park less "scary" then Maiden Lane should have been leveled and the entire fencing removed from the backside of the lake where vegetation grew to create the "trap". That makes more sense than scalping the island where no one bothered anyway. I don't know why anyone would think the island would be scary, yet the "trap" area we're gonna just leave alone. :banghead:

Yes, removing the fencing around that are of the trail would be a good idea. Not really sure what the purpose of that is. Keep "nature" off of the trail, or keep people out of nature??

 

[otto]

There were a few houses near the lake prior to the interstate, but the majority of them were built after. I have a relative that lives near there, and their house was built in '83, and right about the time the interstate opened up, and the interstate wasn't built overnight. I never said that the interstate was or wasn't there first, I just said that these people live near an interstate. You have to expect that there is noise. The island is/was a sound barrier for some, yes. But it really doesn't matter one way or the other for the people on Lake Avenue or Evans Road, in that general direction. And as I said, there are trees between the interstate and the lake.

I agree with what you're saying. I don't like to see a wildlife habitat destroyed, either. And yes, it is too late to turn back now. Which is why I'm of the opinion that we should wait to see what the finished product looks like. In all honesty, I'm sure that my relatives that live there are fuming about this, because that's just the way they are. I might feel the same way. They don't like change (that's why they're lived there for 30 years). In fact, I live to the south of the interstate, and I can hear traffic noise from a couple of miles away, depending on what way the wind is blowing from. There are plenty of trees between the interstate and my house.

I'd like to see photos of the clean-up now that the trees have been knocked down. I think it was a couple of weeks ago already that the trees came down ... are the trees still lying on the ground? Have you heard what's happening with that?

 

[otto]

I don't know why they want to make it safer for children because I don't think that children should be going to this park without supervision. If it was a park with playground equipment, fine, but I think that the fact that there is nothing to do at this park besides going on a boat or go swimming...It could be very enticing for children. Even if they know how to swim, IDK if I would want my (fictional) children swimming/boating in some lake without any adults. I know that even when I was in HS, my mom said I wasn't allowed to swim in any pool without an adult watching. But I don't have kids so maybe I am being too unrealistic/overprotective.

There is a playground next to the parking lot. There's also a military tank that children presumably explore. It is right next to the playground. Swimming is not an option because the lake is filled with leeches. I seem to recall the motorized boating is possible ... and fishing is possible for catching small bass.

When the lake was drained, kitchen appliances and car parts were removed from the lake. The lake has been used as a garbage dump for years.

 

[Squeeze]

Flood cleanup continues in Evansdale, Cedar Terrace - July 9, 2010
In Evansdale, reports varied from five to seven inches of rain falling during a three-hour stretch Wednesday morning. Cleanup for many homeowners will take much longer than the storm that caused the problems. Black Hawk County was named a state disaster area as a result of the flash flooding.
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/fl...cle_5a525ad8-8b63-11df-9351-001cc4c03286.html

Awesome video & photos of the 2008 Flood
Cedar Valley Flooding - YouTube

Thank you for the video!! I hadn't seen this before. In fact, there is one picture - at 1:10 - that is of my neighborhood that I haven't seen. We were in South Dakota at the time of the flood, and came back to our neighbors muddy possessions lining our muddy street. We were very lucky - we didn't have any water.

 

[foxbluff]

I had always read that it was five gazebos. Who would have thought of adding a floating gazebo!

bbm - wow... good for you!

I, on the other hand, had at first thought there was only (1) gazebo planned. And, it was only this past wk that I came to realize that there were actually (4) gazebos planned. And it wasn't until today that I realized there appeared to be (5) gazebos planned.

As to the "floating gazebo" you mentioned, it might surprise posters to know that I might have been ahead of you on that one. Not because I have seen a floating gazebo, but because I have seen numerous floating docks constructed in the 1980s on the 10,000+ acre lake on which I live. (All those floating docks that I know of, btw, were later replaced with what I like to call "real docks.")

 

[otto]

The flooding was clearly serious in Evansdale

 

[otto]

bbm - wow... good for you!

I, on the other hand, had at first thought there was only (1) gazebo planned. And, it was only this past wk that I came to realize that there were actually (4) gazebos planned. And it wasn't until today that I realized there appeared to be (5) gazebos planned.

As to the "floating gazebo" you mentioned, it might surprise posters to know that I might have been ahead of you on that one. Not because I have seen a floating gazebo, but because I have seen numerous floating docks constructed in the 1980s on the 10,000+ acre lake on which I live. (All those floating docks that I know of, btw, were later replaced with what I like to call "real docks.")

Good point. What was originally discussed was one gazebo and a couple of bronze statues. Recent articles, however, have stated five gazebos. This appears to have morphed into a brick park, a trail around the 6 acres with memorial benches, a main building that is a memorial center, some oak trees, a dock - big one, paddle boats, a bridge, memorial gardens everywhere ... and ... we'll see what's next.

Current boat docks are modular structures like the link I posted earlier ... pvc. I don't think that a gazebo on a floating dock is an option. It will have to be a dock built with structural pylons to support the weight ... or stilts. There are boat houses ... and a gazebo could be a type of boat house, but a gazebo on a structural dock, that's expensive.

 

[otto]

Water level view of the Island

 

[Unique444]

Good point. What was originally discussed was one gazebo and a couple of bronze statues. Recent articles, however, have stated five gazebos. This appears to have morphed into a brick park, a trail around the 6 acres with memorial benches, a main building that is a memorial center, some oak trees, a dock - big one, paddle boats, a bridge, memorial gardens everywhere ... and ... we'll see what's next.

Current boat docks are modular structures like the link I posted earlier ... pvc. I don't think that a gazebo on a floating dock is an option. It will have to be a dock built with structural pylons to support the weight ... or stilts. There are boat houses ... and a gazebo could be a type of boat house, but a gazebo on a structural dock, that's expensive.

I don't know but all this talk, I think things will be over budget... wait is there even one? :fence: ( just love that little guy sittin on the fence lol )

 

[Squeeze]

I'd like to see photos of the clean-up now that the trees have been knocked down. I think it was a couple of weeks ago already that the trees came down ... are the trees still lying on the ground? Have you heard what's happening with that?

I believe they were removed as they went. I don't recall an abundance of trees laying around.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[B4igo2it]

there will have to be restrooms, patrolling, and possibly lighting.
Maybe I should set up a Tropical Sno business there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yV6BImpdug0

 

[otto]

I believe they were removed as they went. I don't recall an abundance of trees aying around.

I wonder where they went? Was the Island clear cut and the trees taken for firewood? I would hope so ... that the trees were cut for firewood. The suggestion was that the Island trees were top heavy, meaning good firewood. If that is what happened, I wonder what the profits were and where that is on the books.

 

[Squeeze]

I'd like to see photos of the clean-up now that the trees have been knocked down. I think it was a couple of weeks ago already that the trees came down ... are the trees still lying on the ground? Have you heard what's happening with that?

Just remembered that I have pictures on my phone if the island from a couple of weeks ago. I don't see any tree debris. Ail try to upload them here.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[otto]

there will have to be restrooms, patrolling, and possibly lighting.
Maybe I should set up a Tropical Sno business there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yV6BImpdug0

Safety ( like lighting) is another critical factor that doesn't seem to have been considered. Maybe the memorial center will have bathrooms and a storage shed for equipment ... electricity? running water? ... still not sure where the paddle boats will be stored during the winter months. Lighting is something that has been completely overlooked at this point ... judging by the illustrations prepared by the organizing group.

I wonder who will pay for manning the paddleboat rentals ... somehow, I'm not confident that this will be profitable. Who will supervise the main building? That's shouldn't be a volunteer position.

I think the next step is ensuring that the Island is stable year round. Then, maybe some sod ... a lot of sod ... rose bushes and oak trees. Did I read that concrete slabs have already been poured? I wonder how that's working with the 6-8 foot deep revines.

 

[NWLady]

I think the reason this memorial seems a bit odd to me, is that usually when you hear of memorials for young children, the memorial is something that would benefit other children, often playgrounds of some kind. This does not look like it is to be a park designed for children.

Thank you, very well said and meaningful.
What is in the plans at this park/memorial for children? Is there going to be any playground equipment? Skate park? Sandboxes? Basketball court? Volleyball court? Ball diamond? Bumper cars? Horseshoe pits?

And is the walkway that goes from land out to the island going to have a monitored and/or secured gate and/or is it going to be fenced in on both sides? Otherwise, what is going to keep children from going out to island unattended? Wouldn't there be a fear of drownings if not some type of security gate or the entrance monitored? And if it's all about providing a "safe" place for children and their families, well there's only two ways off the island: 1) the walkway back to land. 2) jumping off in the water.
Are all the "volunteers" helping to promote this project and build it, are they all going to volunteer their time to monitor the island, pick up trash, mow, upkeep, weeding flower beds, grooming/pruning trees?
Just some questions I have...

 

[Reverie]

Safety ( like lighting) is another critical factor that doesn't seem to have been considered. Maybe the memorial center will have bathrooms and a storage shed for equipment ... electricity? running water? ... still not sure where the paddle boats will be stored during the winter months. Lighting is something that has been completely overlooked at this point ... judging by the illustrations prepared by the organizing group.

I wonder who will pay for manning the paddleboat rentals ... somehow, I'm not confident that this will be profitable. Who will supervise the main building? That's shouldn't be a volunteer position.

I think the next step is ensuring that the Island is stable year round. Then, maybe some sod ... a lot of sod ... rose bushes and oak trees. Did I read that concrete slabs have already been poured? I wonder how that's working with the 6-8 foot deep revines.

And they'd better have security cameras and plenty of 'volunteers' to maintain everything over the coming years. Any way you look at it, it seems that ultimately it will burden taxpayers. :blushing: :moo:

 

[B4igo2it]

:great:I am thinking this would be a great "party spot" for underage drinking and smoking pot in the fancy gazebos :great:, maybe a little sex too. :blushing: :great: What a wonderful place this will be for the teenagers! :great:

 

[otto]

Thank you, very well said and meaningful.
What is in the plans at this park/memorial for children? Is there going to be any playground equipment? Skate park? Sandboxes? Basketball court? Volleyball court? Ball diamond? Bumper cars? Horseshoe pits?

And is the walkway that goes from land out to the island going to have a monitored and/or secured gate and/or is it going to be fenced in on both sides? Otherwise, what is going to keep children from going out to island unattended? Wouldn't there be a fear of drownings if not some type of security gate or the entrance monitored? And if it's all about providing a "safe" place for children and their families, well there's only two ways off the island: 1) the walkway back to land. 2) jumping off in the water.
Are all the "volunteers" helping to promote this project and build it, are they all going to volunteer their time to monitor the island, pick up trash, mow, upkeep, weeding flower beds, grooming/pruning trees?
Just some questions I have...

Rather than two culverts with a big pile of dirt, the bridge could be constructed of modular floating-dock PVC materials. People do have to be careful walking on plastic docks. It would be sustainable and the water would not become stagnant, regardless of the water level (culverts currently sit above water level). A chain link fence and people gate could be added at the end of the dock and removed from the paddle boat area. Lighting should be added to both sides of the bridge and all around the Island.

The skate board park across from Meyers Lake Park has been vandalized several times. It has been closed down to reduce the vandalism. Steps will need to be taken to prevent vandalism on the Island after the renovations have been made.

 

[otto]

:great:I am thinking this would be a great "party spot" for underage drinking and smoking pot in the fancy gazebos :great:, maybe a little sex too. :blushing: :great: What a wonderful place this will be for the teenagers! :great:

So ... it could become a place where no one goes ... not safe ... anyone could be hiding in any one of the gazebos at night ... squatting.

Interesting point. There's a park not too far ... gazebo, picnic table, steps to the water, fountain, playground ... not swimmable, ducks, geese ... and an Island. There is no way that the Island could sustain a building. Granted, it's much smaller than Meyers Lake. It's also a place that everyone avoids except on warm summer days ... never sure who will be tucked into a sleeping bag or huddled around the picnic table.

 

[NWLady]

Safety ( like lighting) is another critical factor that doesn't seem to have been considered. Maybe the memorial center will have bathrooms and a storage shed for equipment ... electricity? running water? ... still not sure where the paddle boats will be stored during the winter months. Lighting is something that has been completely overlooked at this point ... judging by the illustrations prepared by the organizing group.

I wonder who will pay for manning the paddleboat rentals ... somehow, I'm not confident that this will be profitable. Who will supervise the main building? That's shouldn't be a volunteer position.

I think the next step is ensuring that the Island is stable year round. Then, maybe some sod ... a lot of sod ... rose bushes and oak trees. Did I read that concrete slabs have already been poured? I wonder how that's working with the 6-8 foot deep revines.

Very good points, Otto!
Here's something I just thought of after reading your post...what about insurance? Won't there have to be some type of insurance for the buildings, gazebos, etc? What about insurance to protect against vandalism? For security, is the Evansdale Police Department going to volunteer man-hours to monitor the island and the lake? Is it going to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?