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City's 'crown jewel' fading

Snyder Park’s decline a snapshot of what ails entire parks system

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By Samantha Sommer, Staff Writer Updated 11:59 AM Sunday, August 23, 2009

Old black-and-white photos of Snyder Park show manicured lawns, flourishing flower beds and idyllic water flowing.

The current pictures aren’t so charming — potholes, inoperable restrooms, stagnant water.

A lack of funding has led to park maintenance landing on the back burner, said City Commissioner Karen Duncan, liaison to the National Trail Parks and Recreation District.

“Snyder Park is in fact the crown jewel of the park system and it has been deteriorating over time,” she said.

The city has directed $300,000 of its $1.9 million in parks funding go toward capital projects in the parks.

The county commissioners also approved spending stimulus dollars on an Opportunities Industrialization Center program putting people to work cleaning up and restoring parts of Snyder Park this summer.

But Duncan acknowledges Snyder Park and the other facilities can’t be fixed overnight.

At least $5 million could easily be spent in Snyder Park alone to return it to its former glory, recently resigned National Trail CEO Doug Nist estimated.

And Snyder Park is just a snapshot of what’s going on in the entire parks system.

National Trail maintains more than 1,300 acres of parks, playgrounds, athletic fields and trails. The Clark County Park District has more than 700 acres to keep up.

Ten years ago, a plan was devised to address the parks problems. The city, county and Clark County Park District came together to form National Trail to save money, improve Snyder and the other parks and secure independent funding through a levy. But four levy attempts failed.

The city and county, the major funders, each have their own budget difficulties and must balance the parks against other needs such as safety forces, road repairs and a jail. At the same time, how parks are used has evolved.

“I’m very disappointed that we were not able to have a countywide levy to support this and really fulfill a vision of what this could really be for families in Clark County,” NTPRD Board President Darrell Kitchen said.

Linda Bender of Springfield agreed. She is disappointed the levies failed because she would like to have seen Snyder Park — which she called a Springfield landmark — spruced up.

Bender remembers 40 years ago when the park was a gem instead of having dirty water and neglected structures.

“This is the most beautiful park,” she said. “It always has been. But it definitely needs work. It’s really going downhill.”

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Snyder Park was a 'crown jewel' and could be again! I was disappointed that the article in the paper didn't tell who an individual/group could contact to volunteer to help get the park back in shape. Not only physical work in the park is needed but also if churches or other groups would get together to have bake sales, tag sales, auctions, ANYTHING to help raise money. I fervently believe what JFK once stated: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country'.

Doug
7:12 PM, 8/27/2009

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I would defintiely pitch in to help, although I would not allow my children to participate in the clean-up.Last time we went to the park, we found a syringe! There is absolutley no way I would allow my children to clean that up! IMO..this whole community needs an overhaul..with people like us stepping to the plate! It seems most in Springfield simply would rather be boozing their lives away! I'm ready to bat!!

:)
10:14 AM, 8/25/2009

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I agree...why don't we all just get together and do something. I think if the idea was pitched to the community, or even some of the churches in the area we could get tons of volunteers out...it doesn't cost anything to volunteer. I have 4 children and a husband that I'd bring along to help clean up the park. Why doesn't someone contact a local radio station, see if they'd get on board with advertising. We can do this!!! and it doesn't have to involve "the government and raising taxes"

Citizen
7:49 PM, 8/24/2009

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Come on people all i hear on here is negative. I go to the park every Saturday to feed the ducks and never once i have seen a drug dealer or anything else shady going on. I agree with Nat-maybe if someone paid they would have the right to complain if the funds were there and nothing being done with them. In a time of no money don't you think we should be able to take the kids to the park and do something free? Maybe we should all pitch in and clean the place up..

Me
4:32 PM, 8/24/2009

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I literaly have walked from one side of Snyder Park to another and witnessed drugs being used and found drug paraphernalia on the ground. Who would want to take their kids there?

dave
3:18 PM, 8/24/2009

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