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Presby Gardens fence screams exclusivity
(by JOE DIOSLAKI - August 28, 2008)
I would like to echo the sentiment of Walter Riordan’s letter last week regarding the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens and fence. I agree that the fence takes away from the natural beauty of the park as a whole, but more important is his point that the Presby Gardens are not adjacent to, but are a part of Mountainside Park.
Whether a supporter of Presby or not, one fact remains: Little by little, Presby Memorial Iris Gardens is seizing our public space in Mountainside Park. It’s bad enough that the fence remains an eyesore, but it also screams exclusivity. Perhaps if "open gates" at all sides replaced the chained and padlocked gates, it wouldn’t.
I am disappointed that our last Township Council allowed the fence to be installed without public input. I urge the Township Council to keep Mountainside Park open to the public by stopping the construction of any additional fencing.
Padlocks and chains should be removed from the existing fence, and this beautiful public park should be opened to the public once again.
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