LETTER: Keep ball fields away from Wesselman

Ellen Sprepski, Evansville

Having spent almost 40 years working with friends and neighbors in support or opposition to various community projects, based on the merits of each, I have found the hardest part of an individual's involvement to be the ability to hang in there when an issue is revisited many times.

Unlike our physical development, society seems to think our spiritual and community agendas should solve themselves quickly and without controversy.

We are willing to go the extra mile if our efforts start a project — "a beginning" having a positive connotation, while "opposition" usually a negative one.

We don't want our social resumes to contain items that are, well, messy; even though historically, opposition forces include our Founding Fathers to the methods of King George III; and, much earlier, Moses and Aaron giving Rameses II fits.

What is needed is patience and a strong backbone.

Some time ago, I worked with a group of neighbors in Kentucky on an effort that lasted seven years. The project in question was defeated the first time around.

In the ensuing years, it developed quite a life, having additions attached, funding scaled back, the cast of characters changed, and more political clout added. Still the neighbors prevailed.

You have to be willing to thoughtfully keep on, keeping on.

Once again, the concept of putting a ball field project on the grounds near Wesselman Woods is raising its ugly head.

The funding has been cut back and the cast of characters has changed, but the basic premise is still the same. No matter its initial size, a project of this type will grow and should.

We, the opposition, have always said we support the concept. However, not in the place currently considered.

The project will become too large to be compatible with the activities at Wesselman Woods.

Eventually the two will clash, and extra money will have to be spent moving the baseball fields as you can't move 200-year-old trees.

Historically, Evansville has made some smart choices and some incredibly dumb ones.

When I moved here and mentioned my love for historical preservation, the lament from old and young alike was, "Why did they tear down the train station?"

I knew of a fellow visiting the southeastern coast who thought to himself, "Hey this city's carousel looks like Evansville's." Turns out it WAS our carousel, which we had let slip away!

Then there's the clobbering of business growth on North Main when the Civic Center was built. Each considered a worthwhile project; but there was not enough understanding of the long-term effect on the community. We have a unique treasure in the Wesselman Woods area. We must not begin any new project that even remotely infringes on what will develop even more community value.

Ball fields near Wesselman's: a bad idea before; still a bad idea now.


  • Discuss
  • Print

Comments » 6

CJ53 writes:

in response to SaturdayNiteWish:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

With spending 10 to 12 million dollars you would not see a return on the investment.

mykfridley#7972 writes:

Not in my backyard, put it someone elses backyard!

Perplexed1 writes:

Why does not CAV people not put in a proposal to fix Mesker. Tear down stage, move it back 400 ft for a VIP/Mosh Pit!

Connect to Zoo so they could use the facility!

Put a roof over Mesker would draw a huge number of summer shows like turfway park!

dll57 writes:

in response to SaturdayNiteWish:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Vote Yes for ball fields and relighting the par 3.

Bring tourism and our adult children back home!

3322 writes:

Thank you Ellen. Any good commentary brings out all the people who don't get it but here's one who does. Build the ball fields any place else but near the irreplaceable Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve. We are already in danger of harming the Woods with what is near it now. Don't push the issue. That woods is not replaceable so don't make a mistake. There is not recovery.

bigbopper writes:

I think that has already been a stablished. The current proposal is for a different area!
