You may remember me writing about a new trail being installed that led to our park. I believe my exact words were “suhweeeeeeeeeeeeet.”
I changed my mind.
The trail is a winding path that leads to the park and meanders along the creek. It is wider than the sidewalk that was already there in order to accommodate walkers and bikers. In making it wider, they cut it too close to the edge of the creek, and ten feet down you’d seriously mess up your face should you go sailing off that fancy new trail on your Schwinn.
The city installed a fence. A black chainlink fence that made this old, quaint neighborhood feel like the Arizona/Mexico border. For those of us who walk every day this was too much and we sent emails to our city council members and the park board. The head of the park board is a big buana.
Last week we went to the parks board meeting and The Big Buana said the city council approved it so they would have to approve any changes. Except the city council never knew there was going to be a chainlink fence because The Big Buana never said anything about that part of it.
This week we picked up a few more supporters and went to the city council meeting and oh geez, It. Was. Contentious. There was some significant veiled insults being thrown, and The Big Buana was in the hot seat. Because she’s been a buana for so long, she doesn’t let people not liking her bother her one bit except for some heavy sighs and eye rolls.
But everybody knew she screwed this one up royally. It made me want to get up and shout LET MY PEOPLE GO which had nothing to do with the fence or the trail, but seemed like the perfect dramatic conclusion to an eventful night.