04/23/1919 Board of Public Works Special Meeting Minutes

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30: Board met in s�e istl i noes ion with the Park" Board at 7: 30 P. M.'and property owners o a ve reef, P. A. All members present, City Controller J A. Swygart acting as Chairma4 in Mayor F. R:. Carson's place, Mayor F. R. Carson being absent from City, Mr, }W. W. Ridenour member of the Park -Board absent., Mr. Fy J. _Anderson City Engineer present. Meeting held in Vthe Common. Council chambersm City Hall. Meeting called to order by the Chairman Mr. J. A. �wygart, Itr'2 30 P. M. Park Board present at 7:50 P.M. Chairman J. A. Swygart explained to parties present the purpose of this m eet.ing which was called by the Mayor for the purpose of the -Park Board, property own era on Calvert Street and the Board of Public Works ge!et ing together on Nimix the paving of Calvert street through Studebaker Park, Mr. Richard Elbel read. a. letter from the Board of Park Commissioners in regard to pavinj Calvert Street' through Studebaker Park,( which letter is hereinafter copied in full in this record' as follows:) After the read ink of this letter by Mr. Richard Elbel the; Park Board immediately left the council room which was at 6:10 P.M. COPY of letter from Board of Park Commissioners. ° South Bend, Indiana. Mr. Gilbert Elliott, . April 23,1919. Pros. Board sf Works, ° Dear Sir ° In respolise to your letter of April 19the, "wish to state that thi Park Board, after a conference with the Mayoe, understood that he would call the:Board of Works and of Parr Commissioners together to make'a coascientdaus effort o iron out the matter'of the pavement of Calvert Street running through Stude"aker Park. ° At the request., of the Park Board one such meeting has already been held at which you gave the Park Board certain assurances. The following night you held the regular heiring, which was attended by'a.number of those living on Calvert St. only. The Park hoard cannot ace any reason why those residents should again 'be called into this. ileet ing and it has `sibsolutely -ns desire to get into _ a personal wrangles with they. ' The Park Board looks upon this subject from the angle of the greater good of all the C itvs rather than of the- res idents of one particular street. There are many other res dents near Studebaker Park, we well as all over the City, who are interested in this Park, as well in tie Parks generally. Some; of these, who have been given lithe or no change to be heard on this subject, appeared before the Park Board at a later evening, when the Msiyor Was present and vigorously voiced their objections to cutting off this Park. ' In order to have fair play, the Park Board wi-1-be,-perfectly willing to attend a special meeting, separately from the one held 'April 23rd.,1919 of all people all over the City who have a right also to voice their. objections. We mean by this not only citizens ' living in and near Studebaker park but representatives business people and others interested in s.ee ing South Bend built up as it should be --for . the larger good of all rather ths,n for the residents of one street. By oth r representative people we refer to such members as of the Chanber of Commerce, The Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, the Women's Clubs etc., These citizens must be all deeply interested because with the closing of the saloons It becomes more imperative than a ver to develop* all Parks and play- grounds. If we allow this street to be laid through Studebaker Park just because those living thereon have been largely influenced by a few agitators to favor it, why may not the residents pis elsewhere demand the opening street and thus cut, -our -Parks all up.? We believe the residents on any street living near any Park should raalizo. that these Parks belong to the City, and that they were purchased by the City as a whole. That they have just as much right-- but no more than the -t-it izMB _living in any other part of the City to' stay how they shall be improved or cut up,' For instance residents near Howard or Leeper Park- night want to out streets through those parks, becauset hey live near them. They would have as much right but e then tho,eitizens living near Studebaker Park.