Peru has been unable to find a good venue for many years. When my kids were young, a rink was prepared near Washington Park south of the school in the location of the current play equipment. The area was flooded and some sort of lean to was set up for children to warm and not sure but there might have been an adult present. I do remember my younger ones going there.
Sometime either before or after that I was told that it was at McKinley Park on a concrete slab. I also remember an attempt to use the slue water south of the bridge.
Somehow I don't consider the new location to be a step forward for a progressive city. When I stop to think back about this past summer and how the city bent over backwards to satisfy a few adult pickleball players and then I look at this picture and I can only say "how sad". It might have made more sense to install enough concrete on the 28th Street Park to put up a rink for skating. Easy access for most kids and quite safe because of the many homes in the area. If they were able to skate at McKinley why not here.
Of course the best place existed at the location where the current ambulance building sits. Put together by the Westclox Company, it was fenced in, lighted, with a heated shelter and music and maintained by Westclox. But society has prevented anything like that happening ever again.
Back to the present, I simply believe we can do better.
If you are wondering what the city truck is doing in the middle of the rink, it is an attempt to keep the liner from bubbling up because of the strong winds in the area.
52 comments:
One has to think that in the cosmic relationship of the world that it makes far greater sense to put sandbags and park a truck on the liner than it would to put water in it. Must have had the nuclear physicists work on this one as it is way above Chamlins head(s).
Lois, once again you are hit the nail on the head with this story. If the same group of pickle ball players had requested this activity the rec board would have made sure that rink was ready when the weather turned cold. I wonder if any of the board members were out there supervising when that liner was put it, or had they been keeping an eye on it for the past month. To see that pic with the truck parked in the middle is truly an embarrassment for the city. Almost as bad as the Adventure Drive intersection.
How can we possibly think this could become a usable ice rink if we need a truck to hold down the tarp because of the excessive wind out there? Wasn't that the reason it was decided by some that Veteran's Park was unacceptable for pickle ball usage? If it's not satisfactory for the adult club why should we put our kids out there in such an isolated and windy area?
Some may use a truck to hold the liner down, but I would prefer to fill it with water and dare the wind to blow it away.
Surely the city would put water on top of the cover and not just a truck. There has to be an explanation as to why a city truck is sitting in the middle of the rink.
Thank god the City has enough trucks! What would we do if we did not have trucks to hold things down when the wind blows. Now I understand and will never question it when "Hurl" askes for more "toy money."
gee lets see, it's in town where kids could walk or heaven forbid they ride their bikes to it. i had to go to the back waters to skate and we had to find a ride there. that liner is not cheap to replace again.my best guess why it wasn't filled with water was the temp and the winds since it would have frozen like a rumble strip and that would not have made for any fun
In the city of Peru ,its not who you are ( tax payer ) its who you know and what you kiss and who's pocket you pad ! The only reason for a truck on the rink is ( stupid is as stupid does as told ) . gone to h--- in a handbag .
Close the street and parking area at the south end of Centennial Park for a skating rink alongside the sledding and snowboarding areas. It'd be sheltered from the winds and be in town. There are some lights there also. When the temp goes above freezing, it could be used for pickleball.
Oops, I forgot. The Ambassador doesn't want to play in a parking lot.
10:54 You must be unfamiliar with the location of Veteran's park. It is, in my opinion, quite a walk for residents to get there and is quite remote should help be needed. The pickle ball ambassador, an adult, was offended that he would be asked to play in a parking lot. Yet, we should make out children walk to the remote location and play in a parking lot? What's wrong with this picture and this administration?
Ice Rink and Pickleball, the connection eludes us.
Let us 28th street neighbors enjoy this portion of the 98.7% quiet time the sport allows per year without bringing up the pickleball subject.
In other words, give the pickleball subject the winter rest it deserves.
Signed,
Peace and Quiet Winter near 28th St. Park
10:54. In today's world, most parents aren't comfortable with their kids going anywhere too far from home. Veterans Park has consistently had winds and dirt make it not a good place for an ice rink. I like the 28th St. Park idea. It's surrounded by homes. People who live next to the park do keep an eye on what's going on there. A little shelter could be made, the rec board could sell hot chocolate as a fundraiser. Then during the summer months, kids could rollerblade there. Multi-functional spaces are best. Pickleball is the only sport that can be played on the old tennis court at 28th St. Park. When it was a tennis court, kids could go in there and rollerblade or little kids could learn how to ride a bike, or they could just rub around in an enclosed, safe area. It was multi-functional then. Now it's locked up for about 20 people to use as their private (taxpayer paid) pickleball court.
Make that "run" around
Lois and Bob:
I'd like to wish you the merriest of Christmas's and to thank you for all your time and energy keeping us citizens of Peru informed, educated, and aware of what's going on around us. No matter what people may say they are many who appreciate the information provided by this blog because many are unable to attend meetings. Thank you once again and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL.
Why not use the already frozen pond on the south side of the slough road. Next to the Peru sign. Makes sense, that's why we don't do it. Or is it because city employees go back there hunting on city property? Ooops, that was a secret.
i understand how parents could feel the way our world has gone but there is plenty of parking and any noise won't bother the neighbors. same reason people want things just not in their back yard and 13th street would not be a good choice since people do use it to drive on and then you would have no parking
The city will continue to bend over backwards for the pickleball players, unless changes are made at election time the politics will continue. And it will be the influential people of this city who will be catered to. Please do your homework before the April election and find out who will be there to represent all the folks not just the chosen. How we can let this continue in our city is beyond belief and it must stop. We will have four choices this time, pick the right one based on the character of the individual, not the promises he will make.
CITY EMPLOYEES HUNTING ON CITY PROPERTY? REALLY? CAN WE HAVE NAMES? WHO HAS ALLOWED THIS? EVERYBODY SHOULD BE
FIRED IF THIS IS TRUE!
Who allowed the tarp for the ice rink to get in such a sad state of affairs? Who was responsible for the maintenance of it?
the ice skating rink liner was donated to the city last year. but the people that donated it where not allowed to have anything to do with setting it up or maintaining it. this is because you know who had a deal whith you know what to prevent volunteers from "taking" hours away from city employees. in fact, it is pretty much known that "hurl" will not allow volunteers because they "mess things up with his boys."
Haha "Hurl"
That's a good one.
I'm gonna start using that one! !
Oh boy this guy has got to go if that is the case 6:18.
Yup. A local contractor was all set up to demolish the pool for free. That fell through becasue of "labor issues."
11:04 who was the local contractor and what were the labor issues? Less rumor, more fact please.
I just saw Oglesby's ice skating rink on the news tribune website. It looks beautiful. Maybe Peru should contact Oglesby to find out how it's done properly. I did not see a city truck sitting in the middle of the Oglesby rink.
10:03 I too was very impressed with the picture of Oglesby's ice rink. You would think by now that we would realize Veteran's park is not suitable to lay down a tarp. If it's too windy for the adults to play pickleball why is it not too windy for CHILDREN to ice skate? Let's concentrate our attention on fixing our parks as recreation for our KIDS.
8:54 AM
The contractor was Michelini and it had something to do with the fact they he would do it free and not be paying into some type of union fund and hiring union laborers. The city then was having problems finding union truckers to come in and take the debris away because money was not put into that fund. Doesn't give unions a good name, does it?
What happened with the issue regarding the lead in the paint? Didn't we pay Chamlin's to determine if lead did indeed exist? Is that an added cost to the demolishing of the pool? Have we accepted a bid yet with regards to this issue and if so what was the bid? Also, has T. Stuart been replaced on the rec board committee as of yet? If so, by whom?
Lois, when will you realize that every truck and every shovel must have a union label to operate in Peru? Soon you will have approved union contractors going into your home to check your plumbing, electrical, and everything else. Those who make the rules are those who are elected to the office. Look at your city councils, townships, county offices! They are financed by the unions and controlled by them.
10:22 I agree that the parks should be for the kids. But until that mind set is taken on by the rec board that is not going to happen. That was proved this summer when all the attention was focused on the tennis court at 28th st. Had that game been intended for the kids it would have not even been attempted, but since it was the brainchild of a certain individual, everything had to be perfect. When is someone going to wake up at city hall. We should have had a splash pad for the past two years. With the way this city spends money, this should not even be an issue. We seem to find the funds for everything else why not for the kids.
The roadblock to the demolition of the Veterans Pool by the unions has reminders of why recreational equipment was given to Dalzell rather than used at the Nickeloid Park.
If the city representation does not have the boys to buck the big 11% and their descending methods remember somewhere there are 89% who will co-operate their time to get leadership that can and will lead.
If you do not believe the above answer "Why did Mischigan become a Right to Work State recently".
In a economy that the majority of jobs are service and retail paying $8.00 to $11.00 per hour and as many are unemployed as are working in much higher paid union jobs with benefits how do you justify union vs. the competition of those who need the work? Many years ago America had a entire race marching in Selma, Ala., simply put this was a case of the haves vs. the have nots and for the history of many unions you were not allowed to join unless you already had a relative working in that particular union and most likely it had to be a father, bother or father-in-law. Times are rapidly changing and it is time for Peru to wake up and become a Leader of the Change. Work is all over town, lets get it done by those willing to do it.
Lois - How can you justify allowing ridiculous ranting comments like that of 12:22 on this blog? Why do you allow people who are so acutely biased on any topic to vent their anti-social hatred? This kook is obviously so consumed with a loathing of organized labor that you have to expect there are automatic weapons in this guys future.
1:26 pm
Judging by his stellar spelling skills as demonstrated by his version of "Mischigan" and his peculiar obsession with union labor, he does appear to meet the pre-requisite requirements for the title of "Kook".
1:26 are you serious? I re read the post you are talking about. It is an opinion, a side, of course it is going to be biased.
I didn't get any hatred from the post...maybe some frustration that you need to hire union around here if you want to wipe your butt, but no hatred.
2:09 PM
You do need to realize that many people are not sitting at a computer writing but that they have a iphone or something similar and the keyboards like a cellphone are not always the easiest to get something perfect on each time. I see and know and suggest you do the same.
1:26 How do you know 12:22 is a guy?
Anon 12:22 I read your comment with intense interest after 1:26 was so upset about it. I read and digested each sentence without partial or prior viewpoint.
Great job 12:22! If you don't teach Labor Law ,History of U.S. Labor, or fair and unfair work practices of union and non-union organiztions you should.
Anon 1:26 Why did Michigan,the home of "Motor City" become a Right to Work State as so many other states already have?
Why? If unions persist that there scale is a fair workingmans' wage do they hire people out of the unemployment office to do their picketing and pay them minimum wage rather than their contract scale? The unemployed should sue the union for scale pay.
Anon 12:22 Are you old enough to remember the saying "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt". The more I read your comment the more sense it makes.
Friends that were in the area late this afternoon, said the truck was gone, the liner is gone and water was pouring onto the ground from a spigot.
If adult hockey players want to go up there, go for it but I certainly would not encourage families to leave any young children or even pre teens unless an adult is present.
The idea of locating a ice skating rink at its present site was the brain child, Peru Superintendent of Public Works - Gary Bleck. When deciding who you are going to cast your ballot for in the next election remember that a lot of spare luggage that this administration carries could be discarded with several new faces in city hall.
Gary rings the cash register at $90,000 plus per year. Frank, unsupervised in hours and production, sniffs the sweet flowers of success at $28.50 per hour and this list could go on and on. Remember when voting for aldermen that many of these appointments and practices were forced upon the present Mayor by strong armed city council tatics.
9:53 AM
Peru did not have any intentions of having a skating rink until last year a young woman with hockey playing sons asked if the city could develop a rink so they didnt have to drive all the way to Spring Valley and beyond where there is a park that provides a rink for hockey. She was able to get a donation for the liner from Fairmont Minerals in Wedron. I don't remember the details but not sure Gary Bleck chose the location and more than likely it was one of the alderman perhaps Ald. Ankiewicz as this is his favorite under utilized park.
I talked to Gary about this rink on Monday and he pretty much agreed this was a poor location and it needed to be more centrally located to be used very much.
The problem is that not many of the aldermen are very interested in our parks and how they are utilized and maintained either. The other problem is that the Recreation Board is really not interested in all of Peru's recreation and therefore we have a huge problem because the Department of Public Works should not have to be developing a skating rink, they have plenty of other problems with the infrastructure in Peru.
Peru needs to wake up and decide whether they are interested in providing residents recreation because they are doing a very poor job, especially for our children. It will be interesting to see if the very large piece of playground equipment works out satisfactorily in very small Nickeloid Park. Keep your eyes on that one
Correction, I ralked to Gary Bleck on Wednesday prior to the council mtg and not Monday.
I wonder how the city got the tarp off. It had to be frozen to the concrete surface someplace. Now they're filling the parking lot from a spigot and much of the water is draining out the sides. It's been filling since some time yesterday and is no where filled as of 12 noon today.
Speaking of heavy baggage how would you like to carry the self promoting position of Peru's Director of Economic Development?
The position of Director of Economic Development, SPW and Assistant Building Inspector all go hand in hand. The less one does the less the other two have to do and the more one does the more the other two have to do. Very similar to a Merry Go Round.
Now the dogs can ice skate, because Wiggley Field is flooded.
It seems as though the water that was put into the proposed ice skating rink (around 24 hours worth) has leaked out into the surrounding area. Kind of reminds you of the pool doesn't it? Why would we keep pumping water into a place that is visibly leaking? Spend. Spend. Spend.
no one will take the blame because there doesn't appear to be anybody in charge of anything anymore.
Whenever somebody volunteers to do something in Peru, it is met with the union mentality "don't do my job for nothing, even if it helps the people of Peru". There were at least 2 people who volunteered to take care of that rink for hockey. Where are they now? There was one guy who volunteered to demolish the pool, what happened to his generous offer? The unions were formed to give workers a decent wage and benefits, but now they have a choke-hold on Peru where the average citizens can't even volunteer to make this city better.
The sad thing is that many union members do not blindly support this kind of crap, its the activists that bring it to the forefront. There is a large union vote, but by itself is not even close to a majority. Focus on the rest of the electorate, tell the TRUE stories, and trust the majority of the people in Peru to vote . Union members do not have to tell anyone what they do in the voting booth, even if they may be afraid to stand up to the Union activists outside of it.
You only need a voters reg card , not a union card, in the voting booth.
Never fails, give them a bite and pretty soon they want the whole thing - and no sharing.
Just checked out the ice rink in Peru. Yep, it leaked alright. It's virtually empty now. How could someone have not noticed it leaking and quit adding water to it?
correction on 12:14 above "and keep adding"
More union bashing-I still don't understand. Did you know that union members volunteered their services in the constuction of the Hall High track and the road to the Peru Airport? They also volunteered to construct the current bathroom facility at Hall. I think there might be problems between individuals that need to be dealt with, instead of blaming the union.
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