HOW WE SEE IT Lake Project On The Road Toward Future

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Keeping the road around Lake Atalanta open is the most inclusive option being considered as part of the city’s $17 million renovation plan for the park.

The road around Rogers’ Lake Atalanta is paved with good intentions.

As Rogers engages its residents in discussions about the future of the lake and its surroundings, how fortunate the city is that people care enough to be involved. If nobody showed up to praise, criticize, suggest or question, Rogers would have an even bigger problem than how to go about renovating this community asset.

Despite differences in approach, it seems those involved are driven by a similar goal - to restore Lake Atalanta to its proper place as a popular feature that draws the community together.

But what to do with the road around the lake? City officials have scheduled a second meeting to discuss the road at 5 p.m. Feb. 25 at City Hall, but those at meeting last week overwhelmingly supported keeping the road open.

Decisions have to be made as the city anticipates spending $17 million on renovation over the next two years. In Rogers future is a dredged lake surrounded by trails, picnic tables, natural-looking playground equipment, a bike park, skate park and other amenities. It is an incredible investment in a place Rogers residents have an emotional connection with.

But the road is a bit of a sticking point. Closing the road to cars would create a better and safer atmosphere for people to enjoy the park on foot, proponent of closure say. Leaving it open increases accessibility, especially for older residents and visitors, some of whom fish the lake but would struggle to get themselves and their gear to a location requiring a long walk.

Access is the core issue, and keeping the road open appears to be the most inclusive of options. Safety has to be a concern, but it’s not unheard of to have a park that includes a road open to motorists. There are ways to make such a situation relatively safe.

We applaud the effort of city officials to let this issue have a full airing. Even if the road is left open, questions about whether to pave it or convert it to an all-weather gravel road must be answered. In the end, it’s clear some people will not necessarily like the final decision. But we suspect they will find it easier to live with as a result of the city’s handling of the debate and the knowledge that a great future lay ahead for this city amenity.

CASUALTIES OF WAR

To honor the men and women in our armed forces and remind our readers of their sacrifices, this newspaper is publishing Department of Defense announcements identifying Americans killed in active military operations.

Army Pfc. Joshua A. Gray, 21, of Van Lear, Ky., died Feb. 10 in Bagram Airfi eld, Afghanistan, from a noncombat-related incident under investigation. He was assigned tothe Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Army Spc.

Christopher A. Landis, 27, of Independence, Ky., died Feb. 10 on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, from wounds received when the enemy attacked his patrol with a rocket-propelled grenade in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Army Spc. John A. Pelham, 22, of Portland, Ore., and Sgt. First Class Roberto C. Skelt, 41, of York, Fla. died Feb. 12 in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suff ered when they were struck by enemy small-arms fire. Pelham and Skelt were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 02/17/2014

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