Friday, June 06, 2008

Klock Park belongs to the children

Excerpts from a June 6 letter to the editor:

Editor,

...according to Harbor Shores’ maps, the proposed 22.11 acres for conversion purposes consists of most of the available park, hardly a small portion.

Mr. and Mrs. Klock gave the park to all the children, using his own treasure. These children will be deprived of the park that was given to them. For what? In Harbor Shores’ proposal, 75 percent of the 40 acres of the proposed mitigated parcels are wetlands and floodplains. Pristine sand dunes and other parkland areas are being considered as an exchange for contaminated wetlands and floodplains. Some trade, eh?...

The City Council’s 1917 resolution accepting the gift of Jean Klock Park states in part: “Resolved further, that in behalf of the people, especially the children of Benton Harbor and vicinity, that this council extend to Mr. and Mrs. Klock their appreciation of this valuable gift, together with the assurance that this council will cooperate to make this park the blessing to the community to which the givers intend it should be.
“Resolved, also, that since Mr. and Mrs. Klock have given this largely for the benefit of childhood and as a memorial to their deceased infant child, Jean Klock, that this land shall be named and
shall forever be known as ‘Jean Klock Park.’”

It is not named “Jean Klock Beach” or “Harbor Shores Golf and Beach Club” as indicated on one of the many maps, or “Harbor Shores Resort Beach and Signature Golf Resort Community in Harbor Shores, Michigan,” as advertised in
Golf Now Chicago.

Clellen Bury Benton Harbor