I second that proposal about the Heartland Park. I agree with Heartland Park
does need attention
I second that proposal about the Heartland Park. I agree with everything Mike Bruhn suggested in his letter July 30 with one addition.
The reason my daughters and I do not let the toddlers play on the new tot park is because they used black rubber which gets extremely hot and they could have located it in a shady spot or placed a shade shelter over it. Has anyone ever done a temperature test on the equipment? You could literally fry an egg on it. The rubber flooring is great for cushion but should have been a light color because black gets so hot it burns. I'm sure this could also be said for the other playground equipment. Why not plant some fast growing trees such as the dreaded poplar or ash for some quick cover, then some of your slower growing trees so when the poplar starts to die off the oaks will be mature?
As to the letter from Kenneth Shepard also in the July 30 Enterprise about the spotted knapweed in the county ditches I have an experience. The knapweed that infested my yard and pasture marched right up from the ditch line, which is obvious if you look at the concentration and direction of the plant growth. I see a ton of thistle on county and tax forfeited land. Another avenue of infestation comes in on hay bales. Maybe the county should inspect the fields of those selling or transporting hay.
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When I moved onto my property there was no knapweed or thistle. Why should I pay to eradicate it with them threatening to put the cost on my taxes? They can't control it themselves, or chose to save money and not even try. I have very limited income and have been trying to mow it out of existence (as they suggested) and time the mowing for just before the plants will have viable seed. My hope is to starve out the root system after it put all its reserves into flowering and the flower heads will be sterile at the time I mow since the seed hasn't yet developed. Knapweed and thistle is now everywhere you look. Maybe the county should start an aerial countywide crop dusting of all properties at the same time. The people of this county are under a lot of financial stress and can't afford to spray, are unable to physically or have no idea how.
I would be OK with a "professional" paid by the county if they could get a cheap volume discount (not the price gougers) or spread the bill out over a few years. I am not advocating a tax increase or an alleged one-time fee because we know those are never as temporary as claimed.
Dianne Wylie
Park Rapids
