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The Westside Youth Soccer Club is working with the Parks Foundation to help
prepare the ground for the new playground. They brought in dirt and Carl Elpers
of the Premier Soccer Club brought in equipment to level the site.
Club officials met with Mater Dei Boosters and the new athletic director, Joe
Hermann, to arrange for their Jr. Varsity team to play six games at the Moutoux
Park field and lay the basis for a future relationship. Mater Dei had never had
a home field on which to play so they are delighted to have this opportunity.
This is the beginning of a win-win relationship between the two groups.
Now it is up to westsiders to come out and support Mater Dei’s Jr. Varsity play
their games. Some of their games have been played, but they would love to have
you come to the rest. Their schedule follows:
- September 8, 5:30 p.m.- Moutoux Field
- September 15, 5:30 p.m.—Moutoux Field
- September 22, 5:30 p.m. – Moutoux Field
Next Meeting for the Parks Committee
The next WIA Parks Committee Meeting will be held at the new Burdette Park
Discovery Center. There will be a brief meeting then a tour of the WPA historic
sites. Anyone wishing to come with us is welcome. The time is 4:00 p.m. on
Thursday, September 18 at the Burdette Discovery Center.
The Kids Kingdom
There is no doubt the Kids Kingdom we are hearing so much about these days is a
welcome addition to the parks family. The original intent was to have it in
Sunrise Park.
However, there are advantages to having it at Sunset Park. These are:
• By being located closer to the city center, there would be less opportunity
for vandalism. Sunrise is somewhat isolated. The Greenway Passage learned it was
not to their advantage to build the first segment of the Passage in an isolated
area because it invited vandalism and plant theft. We need to learn from our
mistakes; the cost of vandalism to the Greenway Passage has been $100,000 if not
more.
• By being located near the museum children and parents can take the opportunity
to visit our wonderful museum and transportation center.
• The new pavilion between the Pagoda and the Museum offers an opportunity to
have small entertainments such as clowns, minstrels, walking food vendors and
choral groups.
• In Sunset Park, the children and parents could patronize Downtown. Children
and young parents need to become reacquainted with this part of our city.
• The space is adequate, especially if you consider using the area from the edge
of the museum parking lot to the tennis courts.
• Parents could play tennis or view the riverfront while children played.
• At Sunrise there have been weddings and Victorian Teas. The plantings are
unique. The open area was meant to be used for croquet games, Frisbee fun,
volley ball, and family picnics. Those advantages will be lost if the Kids
Kingdom is located there.
• A city this size needs both kinds of parks—one for beauty, elegant events, and
reflection and one for kids where there is no worry about trampled and stolen
plants.
Shirley James, Chair
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