Use other site for rec center, not Ellis Park

Many Cedar Rapids citizens are concerned about the future of Ellis Park. The city wants a new recreation center built in the heart of Ellis Park. This area is where hundreds of families enjoy the July Fourth fireworks and music in the park concerts.

A site selection team of primarily city employees selected Ellis Park tennis and basketball courts as the preferred site with five sites identified and three in Ellis.

The site at Q Avenue NW cost $23,400 less than Ellis and the following benefits were presented to city staff:

1. Dry side of a future levee. 2. Expansion land available along Eighth Street. 3. Great example of neighborhood revitalization. 4. Site overgrown with no recreation. 5. Bus route and low traffic on Eighth Street.

The city listened and reviewed the Q Avenue site. The center was then moved forward on the site into the 100-year flood plain, where previously it did not. This change added hundreds of thousands of dollars to elevate the center. FEMA's findings were to renovate the existing Time Check Recreation building but the city is adamant about building a new center.

We totally support the revitalization of northwest neighborhoods and businesses, but not at the expense of city park land. Our parks play a significant role in the city's history and should be preserved for future generations. Ellis Park is not available vacant land and the city should look elsewhere.

Joe Ann Gilbertson

Cedar Rapids