HomeMy WebLinkAboutStory Mill Community Park Public Comment from Orville and Margaret Bach 3-17-14From:orville bach
To:Agenda
Subject:Support the Story Mill Community Park
Date:Sunday, March 16, 2014 6:01:09 PM
Dear Members of the Bozeman City Commission:
My wife and I urge you to support the Story Community Park proposal. We frequently
enjoy riding the trails near this property and recognize what a special and unique park
with lots of new trails and protected open space this would provide. We feel this is
what the voters intended the funds to be used for when the open space bond was
passed.
As our community grows we know that we will need more trails for walking and
bicycling close to home.
Also, as we have some incredible wildlife and bird habitat in this area that I'm not sure
the general public realizes. Officials with Audubon have documented an impressive
abundance and variety of species on this land recently.
This park will provide some very nice links to trails that are already in existence.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this open space park is the opportunity to
protect and enhance some critical wetlands as well as protecting the water quality in
both the East Gallatin River and Bozeman Creek. I enjoy fishing in the East Gallatin
with my grandson and would love to see this stream receive extra protection.
As fuel prices increase it is also very important to have "living nature labs" right in our
town for our young people to study and observe.
Finally, we really do feel this is exactly the type of project that voters want. We don't
have anything against building more soccer fields, etc. but we really don't think this
was the main purpose of this open space plan. I noted that the recent poll in the
Bozeman Chronicle was 75 to 80% AGAINST using these funds for building sports
fields.
The offer by the Trust for Public Land is simply too good to pass up. There is simply
no substitute for protecting and perserving open space as our community continues to
grow and the land gets eaten up by development.
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Orville and Margaret Bach
197 Lamplight Drive
Bozeman, MT 59718