‘Save our park’: Local candidate gathers signatures to protect greenery
Local candidate gathers signatures to protect greenery
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PARKERSBURG -- Volunteers for the "Save Our Park" initiative gathered signatures Sunday afternoon at City Park.
The initiative is a response to Mayor Tom Joyce's plan to replace a nearly 100-year-old pavilion at the park with a multi-million-dollar community center. If successful, the petition would ask City Council to pass an ordinance saying the facility would not be built in City Park. If council did not approve it, the question would be placed on the ballot in November.
In a memo to City Clerk Connie Shaffer, City Attorney Blaine Myers said the more than 3,800 signatures needed for the petition would have to be verified and council would have up to 60 days, per the charter, to consider the ordinance. With a deadline of Aug. 1 to submit ballot questions to the Wood County Clerk's office, Myers said petitions should be submitted to the city by May 15.
Sherry Dugan, an organizer and Democratic candidate for mayor, said she spoke to someone in the county clerk's office who told her she had until June. Dugan said her original plan was to have the necessary signatures by June 1.
Dugan said she doesn't have a problem with the community center itself, only the location.
"All of us want a community center, not in the green space of City Park," she said.
Volunteer Trish Pritchard said she became concerned when she learned about the location of the proposed center. She said the center can't be built very big because of space within the park.
Felice Jorgensen lives near City Park and was helping collect signatures.
"I believe the administration should take the $13 million and put the center where economic development can be encouraged. This is a residential area," she said.
Parkersburg resident John Pettit brought his service dog Dakota with him. He said he supported keeping the pavilion intact.
"The pavilion has been here as long as the park has been here. They have no right to tear it down," he said.
Pettit also said he had memories of going to events at the pavilion his whole life, including wrestling events.
Dugan said she was pleased with the turnout. She estimated over 100 signatures were collected during the event. She was also pleased to see support from other local communities.
"We've seen people from North Hills, Vienna and Williamstown who say they support this. They didn't realize you have to be a registered voter in Parkersburg to sign the petition. But it shows everyone in this area uses the park," she said.