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flowers on the upper level of Ravina Park, eliminating the need for mowing. On the lower level, <br />along the creek itself would be rushes, native grasses, and some prairie and wild flowers native <br />to the State, along the left bank of the creek. This would not only be a recreational area but <br />educational, where school kids can come and look at the buffalo and at the creek —a snapshot of <br />the Hoosier prairie in 1816. Fitting and inexpensive for the Parks Department. He stated that the <br />bison costs $1500, delivered. He suggested the use of the paving bricks from the City street <br />projects to build a pedestal for it, six (6) to seven (7) feet above the ground to avoid opportunities <br />for vandalism, and to better the view of the installation. <br />Mr. Perry presented another idea, which he admitted has not been met with support: honoring Dr. <br />Martin Luther King, Jr. by renaming Ravina Park to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Mr. Perry <br />stated that nobody, whether in the Parks Department or Historic Preservation, knows where the <br />name Ravina comes from. He could not find the word in a Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian <br />dictionary. He stated, Let's take a word that doesn't exist —let's make everybody happy —and <br />consider renaming Ravina Park to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. In addition, he suggested an <br />addition to the Bison - tennial concept. He stated, There's a cute little bison calf that these people <br />have fabricated, as well. My concept, as I mentioned the last time I talked to you folks, would be <br />for the City of South Bend —for the pennies that it costs, literally, compared to the rest of your <br />budget —to buy a mama, and a papa bison, and a baby bison, and give that to the Potawatomi <br />Pokagon Band for their Indiana district headquarters out on Locust Road. They've got this <br />wonderful carved wooden sign—we could have the mama and papa buffalo, and the baby <br />buffalo out there, and we could thank them for things that they've already done for our town and <br />our area, and things that they have already pledged, as you all know, to do in the future in lieu of <br />property taxes with this half -a- billion - dollar ($500,000,000) casino hotel and Pokagon Band <br />Village project. <br />Committee Chair Randy Kelly responded, I remember the first time you came to me with the <br />Bison - tennial idea, with the prairie grasses and —yeah. And I know the work that enFocus has <br />been doing in that area along the creek would fit right into your concept, as well, and that they're <br />in favor of doing it. Mr. Perry added that Bowman Creek is in favor of the project. Committee <br />Chair Kelly asked Aaron Perri if he had anything to add to that. Mr. Perri responded that he <br />thinks the Parks Department is prepared to through Venues, Parks, and Arts —get the bison and <br />to continue to work on the prairie idea, in support of the Bowman Creek educational ecosystem. <br />He stated, With the bison, we will continue to work out where exactly it's placed. <br />With no further items on the agenda, Committee Chair Gavin Ferlic adjourned the meeting at <br />4:37 p.m. <br />Respectfully Submitted, <br />'TZ:�'-w /Z- i <br />Randy Kelly Chairperso <br />