Our opinion

Land lasts forever, playground equipment does not

The recent controversy in McFarland over the board’s decision to purchase the Schuetz property illustrates differing values and the need to elect leaders who will make the difficult decisions which will have a permanent effect on the future.

Some critics have said the village has no business buying land for a park when it cannot afford to immediately replace the worn out playground equipment that was recently removed from five village parks.

The two park-related expenditures should not be compared as equal in weight. Yes, playground equipment is important and it will be replaced. There is a plan in place to prioritize and replace the equipment as funds become available, both through donations and through village funds. If the playgrounds are a major concern to residents, they should drive around and look at the five parks. They are not “vacant lots” as some people have labeled them. Only the wooden playground equipment was removed. Some play equipment remains at each of the parks. But the key here is the “land remains.” The play equipment can and will be replaced. Land for parks and open space is impossible to replace.

Many people in McFarland have expressed a desire to preserve the beauty of nature by setting aside land for parks or conservancies. Those who served on village parks committees and past village board members clearly saw the value of the Schuetz property. They see this as a “key” piece for McFarland because of its location near other parks and conservancies. Much of the funding to purchase the

Schuetz property will come from grants. These same grants will not help fund playground equipment replacement.

Most of the village share of the cost is expected to come from what developers contribute in fees in lieu of land. These funds are earmarked for new parks – to give the village flexibility in where new parks are located. Developers are required to donate either fees or land when new home plats are approved. The formula is based on the number of housing units in the plat. Although the state has recently changed the law in regard to these fees, the village has received word that it can collect fees for two large planned new home subdivisions planned by Gannon and Veridian because the preliminary plats were approved before the change in the law.

The two expenses are not equal. Both playgrounds and open spaces are important, but not of equal value. It takes leaders with vision to see the importance of making a purchase of land which may be unpopular in the short term, but invaluable in the long term. The land purchase will serve a long term need. It will be a gift to future generations. Land does not go away – it may be “developed” into homes or business or parks – but the need for parkland will not fade. The need to protect natural resource of open land will only increase with the pressures of more people, more cars, more buildings, more roads, more homes.

The October issue of National Geographic illustrates the need worldwide with its cover story “Places We Must Save” which includes photos and articles about world parks at risk and America’s threatened sanctuaries.

When President Thomas Jefferson made the decision to purchase the vast tract of land known as the Louisiana Purchase, some people were critical of the purchase. The land was nothing but swamps, trees, rivers and mountains, largely unexplored, inhabited by Indians and a handful of fur traders. Nobody knew what was there, for sure. Not everyone could see the v value of the expenditure at the time. The young nation had many other ways it could have e spent the money to fill short term needs. But most Americans are now thankful the purchase was made.

Buying land for a park and spending money for playground equipment are both valid uses of village funds, but they should not be considered of the same value. The playground equipment is needed, but it will not last forever. It will need to be replaced again in five or 10 years. The park land will be enjoyed for many future generations of McFarlanders, long after the current decision makers are dead and gone.