HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974 09-12 Maplewood seeks funds for swamp DISPATCH Maplewood
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Maplewood has a pro-
posal to pump $298.000
into land that's mostly a
swamp.
And Recreation Direc-
tor Eric Blank suggests
that's enough to make the
land one of the city's most
valuable assets.
- His reference is to the
*38-acre Michael Lane
Park, located north of--
Union Cemetery.
The city purchased the
property in 1967 with the
intent of filling much of
the swampland. then con-
structing ballfields.
But when the first dump
truck arrived with fill, the
phones at city hall started
to ring.
"They didn't stop ring-
ing for days," Blank said
in an interview Monday.
"People objected to the
fill. They said we were ru-
ining the land."
The trucks have gone
away.
And now Maplewood,
with encouragement from
people who call them-
selves environmentalists,
has applied for $150,000 in
federal and state grants.
If okayed. the money
will be used. along with
$50,000 in local funds. for
the f i r s,t phase of a
swampland preservation
project.
- Instead of ballfields, the
plans call for a nature
study center and mean-
dering trails.
Instead of ballplayers,
the aim is to inform the
egrets. blackcrowned her-
ons and the deer that
they're welcome to stay.
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Maplewood's Michael
Lane Park, mostly a
swamp, will remain
relatively untouched,
on plan-
based
nounced by Recreation
Director Eri Blank.—
Staff Photo a
Swc7—r-
co fl"n,od From Paye
B\aok said 'tie ���y
'Wa. S \D \e to 172e area
and acquire even
nc4,��`�'k�. more
That. he explained, will
avert indiscrimi-\ate use
of the land, some of it
heavily wooded.
"our thinking, certainly
has thnged," he said. "Al
few years ago we wanted
to change that land Into
something else. Now we
want to keep it natural. I
\1i)nkthat`sbest."