It is truly sad that we live in such a litigious society that the school district feels it necessary to close down a park out of fear of wood rot. More disheartening is what I expect will eventually happen: nothing. If we are unable to pay teachers’ salaries, how can we expect to finance reconstruction of a playground?

Even if Wildcat is rebuilt, will it still be “useful?” That is, will it be fun? I have fond memories of playing at Wildcat as a child in years past. Perhaps it is just personal bias, but the new, vibrant, no doubt expensive plastic structures I see installed at city parks and schools hardly look as diverting as the simple, plain, lawsuit-tempting bridges, ramps and tunnels of yesteryear.

Just last summer, I lay out on Wildcat’s fields in the sun reading while youthful laughter in the distance provided a pleasant, almost cinematic ambience. Will the laughter persist, or will our commercialization of fun merely drive yet more youngsters to video game consoles?

Your Monday editorial (“Help craft new future for Wildcat Park”), suggests that, “volunteers could research the coolest new trends in playground construction.” Here’s an idea: let the kids design and build the playground (with a bit of engineering assistance where needed). And what if the kids do not come up with, “floors that are made of old tires that cushion the fall?” Well, part of growing is learning how to survive even with a few bruises. (But don’t let the lawyers hear that.)

Conrad Shultz

Corvallis

Wilson students will miss Wildcat

I was saddened to read Saturday that Wildcat Park was closed. As a former student at Wilson Elementary School, I have many fond memories of Wildcat Park; the slides, the secret passageways, the tires and — most of all — the swings. I think the Corvallis School District could have done a survey regarding the closure of the park and the effect it would have on the people of the Corvallis community.

The park wasn’t only for Wilson students; it was open during the summer time, after school and on the weekends. I’m very sad to know that the future Wilson students and members of the community will never get the joy of playing on the Wildcat Park play structure, as I did.

Lynette McBride

Corvallis

Build playground at Riverfront

The sad news about Wildcat Park play structure becoming unsafe, offers an opportunity to relocate Corvallis’ major playground to Riverfront Park.

Hundreds of children visit the Riverfront in summer to play in the water fountain, so why not build a major playground nearby as well? A good site would be between the bridges or perhaps just north of the Harrison Avenue Bridge. Safe travel is afforded for pedestrians along the path beneath the bridges.

Children now run along the stone benches and find ways to play, whether or not facilities exist for safe play. A modern safe playground in Riverfront Park would be utilized by hundreds of our families and children daily.

Riverfront Park is appropriately located right at Corvallis' doorway to the world. A playground would encourage activity in the downtown core and would be easily accessible to everyone in Corvallis. Bus transportation and other major attractions like theaters and restaurants already exist downtown. Now a big playground at the river could add even more.

I personally would volunteer to become a member of fund-raising efforts to accomplish this goal.

Ronald Naasko

Corvallis

Why the surprise on park closure?

I happened to be at the park last summer when the survey group did their final walk through, and I heard them say they were going to recommend to “pull it down.” Yet all year long, when I tried to talk to people about it (including Wilson’s principal), I was told “that decision has not been made.”

Obviously that decision had been made, as it takes more than five minutes to get fencing up and arrangements made to close it. Yet this information was not only kept secret but denied when directly asked about. If it needed to come down, fine, but why weren’t we notified earlier so we could make alternate plans? So we could talk to our kids about it and warn them of this?

Once again, the School Board has chosen to be deceptive and secretive about their decisions to the detriment of the kids.

Terry Hekkala

Corvallis

OSU athletics has subsidy and debt

The article Saturday summarizing the continued $4 million university subsidy to the athletic department reminded me of last summer’s article in which Bob DeCarolis took pride in his handling of the $12 million dollar debt he and Mitch Barnhart inherited when they arrived, stating that reducing the debt was not rocket science. Now, despite

$4 million dollars in subsidies, the original $12 million dollar debt is still not paid off!. Mr. DeCarolis was right; it is not rocket science, nor is it rocket math; it is bean counting.

In the same vein, when he arrived, I talked to him one-on-one for over an hour concerning student athlete academics and his decision to fire an academic advisor who had phenomenal success at graduating at-risk student athletes over a three-year period (in excess of 80 percent). At that time, he told me that he would assume sole responsibility for academics of student athletes. However, during the recent discussions on academics, Mr. DeCarolis placed blame on everyone and everything except Bob DeCarolis and the kitchen sink.

I surmise that firing successful educators, canceling study halls, and allowing successful programs to deteriorate were unsuccessful while milking a continuing debt obviously works.

Christian R. Gross

Corvallis

Kids, pets still make front page

I laughed out loud when I saw the headline “Displaced pup needs home” in the Jan. 5 edition of the Gazette-Times. Important news on that particular day included items such as: “Bombers Wreak Carnage: 120 Dead,” “Iran scuppers deal with West on uranium tests,” “New ads attacking Alito labeled as dishonest,” “Japan automakers set U.S. sales records.”

I’m sure some people were “shocked and outraged” (to use good Corvallis-speak) at the Gazette-Times’ lack of emphasis on important national and international news, but not me. I take it all in stride, just as I have learned to accept that the important page-one color picture always includes children on Mondays, old folks on Tuesdays and any combination of children, old folks, animals or birds on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Thank you, and keep up the good work.

Tom Peterson

Corvallis

Abramoff fall-out has hit the fan

The well-connected lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a proud Pioneer of the Republican Party (an august club whose members contributed $100,000 plus to the Bush campaign), has blown the lid on one of the biggest corruption scandals since Spiro Agnew.

The proverbial manure has hit the fan, and many of the lawmakers who were beneficiaries of the largess of Abramoff’s clients are hastily returning the loot they so eagerly sought. We are particularly intrigued by the explanation proffered by the spokeswoman of the honorable Roy Blunt of Missouri when she said, “The contributions may not have been given in the spirit in which they were received.” Pray tell, what spirit would that be? Mr. Abramoff, admittedly not a very nice man (but that comes with the territory) at least is instrumental in the coming House (and Senate) cleaning. To paraphrase our intrepid leader, “Bring it on, Mr. Abramoff.”

Leo de Vogel

Corvallis

Church articles were appreciated

Thank you for publishing the two excellent articles that appeared in the Dec. 31 edition about church outreach to the community.

Religion reporter Carol Reeves gave the subject both a hometown and national perspective, informing us how how volunteer hours translate into financial support, which can be measured and which take pressure off government. And she also pointed out the value of the human touch, which isn’t easy to measure but which is so important.

What a good reminder of activities that sometimes go unseen and unsung in our town and elsewhere. Plus, how timely these articles were, coming when many of us are thinking about giving to others.

Roberta Sperling

Corvallis