Pioneers’ Plea For Park Narrowly Defeated
Mayor Ribar Votes NO A;
Council Nixes Pioneer Site
By Colin Mick
Mayor Joseph Ribar broke a three to three tie in Monday’s
City Council meeting rejecting a request by the Pioneers’ Igioo
No. 4 that the City cooperate and help support the pioneers in
developing a park at their proposed location.
avauoi. ui tile V/UJLXUIJII LcUIlL* UJ IIIC
choice of land. 72.04 acres which
lies near the center of Fairbanks
and runs from the river to Airport
Way. The lot is 1.320 feet wide and
also includes 30 acres on the other
side of Airport Way.
Harrie Hughes of the Pioneers
appeared at the Council meeting, ;
accompanied by the Pioneers’ park j
committee. He stated that he felt
the committee could show that the
choice of park area was not his per- 1
sonal one. but represented the
wishes of all the Pioneers.
Councilman Red Boucher again
stated that he was definitely for the
park. He said he felt the suggested
location would do a great deal to
honor the Pioneers and to provide
recreation for the City.
Sheldon Strikes
Robert Sheldon stated that the
Pioneers had gone to a great deal
of work before deciding on the lo
cation. “This movement on the part i
of someone to relegate the Pioneers
to the City dump doesn't meet with
much approval,-’ he said. Sheldon
then asked the Council who they
felt had a better claim to the land.
Councilman Roberts asked Shel
don if he had ever seen any City
parks built on old dumps.
Sheldon replied that although he
hadn’t seen any. he imagined it
could be done, if expense was no
consideration.
Councilman Brewington took ex
ception to Mayor Joseph Ribar’s
statement of last week that the
construction of a park in the sug
gested location would increase by
50 per cent the cosj,- to Taku and
Westgate residents to get City water.
“Frankly I think it was an inadvised
thing to say." said Brewington. He
went on to explain that he lived in
Westgate, and that after last week's
meeting he had been bombarded
with phone calls from his neighbors.
Less Than 5r'c Increase
He said he had done a great deal
of research on the subject and then
read from a report given him by
Harold Gillam, City engineer. Ac
cording to the report, the construc
tion of the Pioneers’ Park woujd
make less than a 5 per cent increase
in cost to the residents of Taku
and Westgate in getting City water
and sewer facilities.
Brewington also pointed out that
the land in question belongs to the
State, and that to his knowledge,
the State had no plans to sell the
land to the City or to a subdivider.
At this point Councilwoman Syl
via Ringstad objected to Brewing
ton's remarks, saying he was out
of order.
Brewington replied that he was
not out of order and that he wanted
to get all the facts out. He then
went on to restate that the cost of
water extension to Taku and West
gate wouldn't be any more if the
park were there. "The statements
that it is going to cost 50 per cent
more are erroneous," he said.
Would Use Water
Harrie Hughes pointed out that
the park would use a great deal of
City water and electricity for the
various buildings and the zoo. He
pointed out that in Anchorage, the
City took the entire strip between
8th and 9th Avenues for a park
area, and asked why Fairbanks
couldn’t allow the Pioneers to de
velop unimproved State land as a
park.
Upon questioning by Councilman
Cox, Hughes stated that the State
could not give the Pioneers title
to the land.
Cox then asked if the Pioneers
planned to utilize the University of
Alaska to get around this ruling.
Hughes explained that by utiliz
ing the University, the Pioneers
would be able to obtain trust funds
to help obtain financing for the
park.
Cox then asked if the Board of
Regents had approved the park yet.
Under Consideration
Hughes stated that the Regents
had the proposal under considera
tion and that some of them had
given verbal approval.
Councilman Brewington pointed
out that all but two of the Regents
are Pioneers, and that a great num
ber of the Legislators are Pioneers.
Cox then stated that he was not
against the park, but that he felt
the proposed area was better suited
for a residential development and
that the Pioneers should be closer
to the river, perhaps around the old
CAA station.
Mayor Ribar stated that he, too,
did not object to the park, only to
the proposed area.
Mayor Ribar then called for the
vote on Councilman Boucher's
motion that the City cooperate with
the Pioneers in developing a park
in the proposed location.
More than 40 people, many of
them Pioneers, watched the voting
with bated breath. Brewington.
Boucher and Ringstad voted for the
motion, Cox, Roberts and Walker
voted no. Mayor Ribar broke the
tie, voting no.
On Feb. 5 Mrsf'StroeclW* of 355
5th notified City Police that a 1960
Chevrolet belonging to Mrs. Marion
Thurman had been stolen from
Lathrop High School. The car was
recovered at 11 mile on the Richard
son Highway.
SHELDON SPEAKS — Certain City Council members were the
point of R. E. (Bob) Sheldon’s sharp wit at this week’s meeting.
Pioneer Sheldon objected to the Pioneer Park being relegated to
the City Dump. (See story this issue.)
SLATE FLORA DORA REPEAT
Another “Flora Dora Show” is
planned for 9 p.m. Saturday at the
Elks’ Club to accommodate the
flocks of persons who found the
hall too crowded to watch the first
performances last weekend.
The Emblem Club’s annual charity
show played to a “standing room
only” crowd, according to Mrs. Pat
Woods, chairman of the event.
About 30 acts in addition to
numerous appearances of the “Can
Can Girls” and a group callin
themselves “Laughter Unlimited
will again entertain guests at next
Saturday's appearance. The num
bers range from semi-classical to
comedy.
Between acts many door prizes
I were awarded and costume prizes
ttooseljudged best
GOT KEYS^R^&GH
A ■■
On Feb. 3 Mrs. Ronald Twogood
reported that someone had stolen a
| set of keys from Arctic Lanes and
had attempted to steal a car. She
said the theft was unsuccessful, but
that the keys were still missing.
: QTQ
Liquidating Cur Stock By 50%
25% OFF ENTIRE STOCK
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• JEWFLRY
• CURIO
GOODS
• WATCHES—
Men’s and
Women’s
• RINGS OF
ALL DE
SCRIPTIONS
• WATCH
BRACELETS
• PEARLS
• BOLO TIES
• ALASKA
BLACK
DIAMONDS
i FREE!
i Beautiful
j DIAMOND RING
| Choice of beautiful men's
' or ladies’ diamond ring
j will be given aw^ay free to
j some lucky customer.
Tickets Given
I With Each Purchase
• NUGGET
COVERED
WATCHES
and BANDS
• NUGGET
and JADE
RINGS
• CHARM
RINGS
• CUTLERY
• IVORY
GOODS
• BRACELETS
• HEMETITE,
JADE and
IVORY
AVAKOFF’S
Have Your Diamond Rings Checked For Safety
No Charge!
Next to Co-Op Pioneer Jewelers for 55 Years 531 2nd Ave.
dressed. This practice will again
be repeated.
Mrs. Bev Steen, Emblem presi
dent, invites the public to attend.
Proceeds from the show will go
to a charity selected by the club
members.
Demo Women To
Meet Tonight At
Traveler’s Inn
Fairbanks Democratic Women
will meet tonight at 8 at the Travel
er's Inn. The meeting will feature a
discussion with the group’s Govern
ment Committee hearted by Virginia
Parrish and Ruth Monroe.
Other members of the Committee
are Jane Cease, Susan Jackson. Jan
et Baird. Bettye Fahrencamp. Alma
Baird, Betty Hollyfield and Mar
jorie Severance.
Newly installed Women's Club
president Grace Schaible will chair
the meeting. Other officers recently
installed include Pat Cook, vice
president, Geneva Emmal. secre
tary: Hulda Elieff. treasurer, and
Mary Slotnick, historian.
Miller Appointed
To Union Oil Post
Frank J. Kerth. Alaska Sales
Manager for the Union Oil Com
pany of California has announced
the appointment of C. J. Miller of
Fairbanks to the post of Fairbanks
Sales Manager for the company.
Miller will direct both com
mercial and retail operations.
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