Prairie Park topic of Park Board Meeting

A "Friends of Prairie Park" citizen group could provide valuable services here. One of those could be in a neighborhood watch role to organize and report suspicious or potentially dangerous conditions at the park. Another could be to identify and promote the native plants and species of birds, insects and river creatures for educational purposes. More people using a park can actually improve safety.

A terrible tragedy occurred in the park that no one should fall victim to nor should any parent, sibling, loved one or friend ever endure such a loss. All of our prayers are with Toni Keller's family.

Another almost as painful type of tragedy occurs on and along the railroad tracks at Prairie Park (and throughout DeKalb, actually). Far too frequently people are killed from train-pedestrian incidents to accidental falls near the trussels and bridges. Reporting a pedestrian walking on railroad property can save that person's life. It is illegal to walk on railroad tracks except at authorized pedestrian crossings. It is dangerous to climb and play on the railroad bridges and trussels.

I used to live in the Knolls and walked in the Prairie Park all the time. It's a beautiful place and one of the last vestiges of nature left in this town. It's a haven for birds and insects and river creatures. It would be sad to do too much clearing, but maybe a selective clearing of non-native plants would be good. Lighting would disturb the ecosystem and would not make anyone any safer.