DATE: Friday, October 10, 1997              TAG: 9710080149

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 16   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letters 

                                            LENGTH:   68 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - CHESAPEAKE

Unfinished parks

Perhaps A. Murphy, who wrote the letter to the editor regarding Western Branch's fair share of city parks (The Clipper, Sept. 28), will feel better knowing that the ``other parts of Chesapeake'' are not enjoying all those parks listed in The Clipper either.

Someone obviously did not complete their homework when writing the article ``Chesapeake's City Parks.'' It would be interesting to know how many of those parks indicated on the map are actually parks and not just land set aside for future parks. Perhaps we are wrong in assuming a park is a play area with swings, etc., or even that it has a tree.

I live in Cedar Crossing, which is in the Great Bridge area. A dot on the map in The Clipper indicated a park outside our entrance. however, all that can be seen is a vacant lot (not even a tree). When I called the city regarding this, I was told all the other paraphernalia that make up a park will follow in the future, including a tree or two.

The staff writer who wrote the article should follow through with the rest of the story and give us a more accurate picture regarding Chesapeake's city parks.

P. Shearer

Cedar Commons Moving dirt

A while back there was mention in your paper of someone's intention to create a reservoir in the Bowers Hill area of Chesapeake. The dirt removed was to be used in the construction of the Route 168 Bypass. A few days ago I was surprised to see that Bowers Hill now runs nearly to George Washington Highway because, according to the sign hanging on a newly installed chain link fence on Military Highway, construction of the reservoir has begun.

While I am not against this project, I do think it would be more feasible if the dirt was transported via rail car from the pit to the construction site since the pit is beside the Norfolk Southern track and the construction site is very close to the Belt Line/Albemarle Railway track.

Although the thousands upon thousands of dump truck loads of dirt would generate a huge amount of income it would likewise create dirt, congestion, road destruction, road rage and a host of other problems as yet unforeseen. I feel this should be more thoroughly investigated.

Davey Lee George

Wesley Road Public meetings

Wouldn't it be nice if state attorney general candidates William Dolan and Mark Earley would hold a public forum in Chesapeake City Council chambers like the one they had in Norfolk City Council chambers on Sept. 26.

Not only would it be informative and educational, but it would be the right thing to do. After all, Chesapeake is Mark Earley's hometown. Public information Channel 23 should be glad to broadcast it. The City Council chambers has the finest and most expensive broadcast studios in the area. Taxpayers and council watchers should get full use of public property as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

After all, the First Amendment on free speech guarantees right of free use of public property for political meetings. Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach and other cities have long honored the citizens' right to use council chambers, but not Chesapeake.

Councilman W. Joe Newman and Peter P. Duda Jr. and other members of the council have publicly stated they didn't want citizens to use council chambers for political forums. The excuse given was they were afraid the citizens would wear out the seats!

Carl Burns

Whitehurst Road

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