(Photo of beginning of nature trail at Lefleur's Bluff state park. See rest of nature trail photos at http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w222/prplhze2000/nature%20trial%20pics/)
Apparently some people cannot leave well enough alone and will not be satisfied until all of Jackson is one big mass of concrete. The Jackson Free Press recently reported the Junior League of Jackson "wants to build a $23.5 million, two-story facility in the 60-year-old Lefleur’s Bluff State Park. The facility, financed largely through private funding in addition to some state and federal money, will offer exploratory exhibits for kids pertaining to science, literacy, health and nutrition, and the arts. Admission to the museum could run around $10." http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=15773_0_4_0_C#103552
There is no doubt a children's museum is needed in the Jackson area (although the proposed admission is rather high and I say that as someone who is a member of the New Orleans Museum of Art.). However, out of all the possible sites in the Jackson area it is unbelievable the only site suitable for the museum is in the only state park in the Jackson area offering a nature trail, golfing, camping, and a natural science museum. As you can see from the above picture and accompanying gallery, the nature trail in Lefleur's Bluff is a true treasure for the Jackson area. I would love to know what it is about such beautiful scenery that makes it a target for the do-gooders in the Junior League and the authors of the Two Lakes Plan. First Lake Hico was closed down. Then private development cut off much of the reservoir to public access (the one decent plan to develop the park was shouted down by reservoir residents). Now they want to tear up the one decent park and nature trail in Jackson.
There is one possible solution and it sits across the street. Why is the Junior League discussing tearing up part of the park when there is a baseball stadium across the street that needs to be torn down? If anything, the proposed children's museum is a better fit if built next to the Ag Museum. Since Trustmark Park was built, it is clear Jackson is not going to have minor league baseball again. While many of us have fond memories of baseball games at Smith-Wills, it's time has passed. Jackson would be better served if the the stadium was demolished and a children's museum noted as one of the best in the country arose from its ashes.
2 comments:
No kidding. Instead of paving over an existing, beautiful, and POPULAR park, why not create a new place? The Commerce Street area/Fairgrounds/old Gold Coast is ideal. There's nothing there currently and you wouldn't intrude on existing, and successful, parks.
True. That would be a good spot. Or like I said, tear down Smith Will's. Would be near the nat. science and ag museums, making it easy for out of town visitors to go to all three sites.
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