Parks Committee Recommends Siren at Copeyon Park

[XLFD]

At a March 16, 2021 meeting of the Ludington Cemetery, Parks, & Recreations Committee (CPRC), the issue of where to locate the old fire station siren was addressed and a recommendation by the committee's three members City Councilor Stibitz (4th Ward), Winczewski (2nd Ward) and Cain (5th Ward) was made.  They chose Copeyon Park.  

The CPRC had previously narrowed down the list to two choices, Copeyon and the new bathroom building located at the west end of Loomis.  A weeklong poll posted in the Ludington Pitchfork had 400 respondents asked a question about which location they liked better, where they also had an option to choose 'other'.  The results reflected roughly 4/7 preferred the Loomis location, 1/7 liked the Copeyon location and 2/7 thought neither location was what they wanted.  Another question determined that 5 of 6 people wanted the siren back for a noon and curfew sounding.  

The committee was approached by two learned fellows who warned about the Loomis Street site.  David Dister, an ecologist who has been utilized by the City for some of its projects warned about the noise pollution, how it would affect avian wildlife, and how such a location would require approval by other agencies.

The other threw some doubt on even the Copeyon site, as John Freeby, MD, indicated that the avian life of PM Lake would be affected, he suggested a downtown site instead.  

Should the full council accept the recommendation of the three councilors and agree to locate the siren at Copeyon Park, the installation costing approximately $2000 will be covered by a local benefactor.  

[Willy]

I agree with the bird guys. I say bury the noisy nuisance.

Another big waste of money.

[Freedom Seeker]

I agree, Willy, but as usual, it doesn't matter what the residents say, it's three people who neither listen to or poll residents, two whom don't even live close and the parks chairman is at about ten blocks away. I think it's to get it away from town because no body wants it, dump it in Copeyon. Just wait until the condos have to live with it blaring 200 feet away! It should be illegal that close to residential area.  The bigwigs noitalls will waste $2k installing it, and probably get a lawsuit for nuisance from the condo people because they never polled close residents, to my knowledge, but then everything is pushed through even more under cover of mask now.  Gives them a greater excuse mot to get people involved.  Worst communications I've ever seen in a city.

[XLFD]

Correct, FS.  I would have liked to see our city representatives actually give the residents a seat at the table for deciding where to go with the siren, after first making sure whether they wanted the siren back.  My poll indicates most people want it back, so let's presume we don't bury it.

Plenty of downtown areas would be optimal for placement, in my opinion, the top of the city center building would be the best.  But, it doesn't seem a bad idea for there to be a restriction that it should be placed on public property, since issues may occur when private property changes hands.  Three sites that might work out, the courthouse, the LACA, and city hall, already have tones go off on certain hours of the day, so unless they would rather have a siren, those are out.  I would like to see it on top of the LPD station.

The library and post office might be nice, but I get the impression city hall doesn't want to put it on public land they don't have the rights to.  I would like to hear why they don't want to put it in Lunacy Park upon its completion, but I bet it's because they don't want it to upset the drinking events when it goes off at 10 PM.  Same line of thinking for not basing it at the City Marina-- yet they want to plop it down right in the midst of the private marinas in a place where it's only been background noise in the past. 

Rather than the LPD, I wouldn't mind seeing it at the City's lift station on the corner of Rath and Dowland.  It would never interfere with the SS Badger, which would be out of port during the season when it sounds, but the best centralized place in the city that is owned by the City of Ludington (IMHO) would be atop the buildings at Lunacy or Waterfront Park.  

[Freedom Seeker]

I get the feeling that most of the city employees who formulate public policy and projects and those team-think councilors who blindly follow along think we, the people, don't even deserve a seat, let alone a seat at the table.  They appease us with "coffee with councilors (or did so before covid) but do they take much action on what the people say?  People would get more action talking to the table.  The power in the town is a secret,  silent team-thunk force arranged and decided way before getting input from people.   At least now we can read the minutes and kind of figure out what went on.

[shinblind]

Was the fog horn annoying migrating birds all of these years?

What about the old location by the old fire barn, was that scaring the birds away?

Will hearing protection be required and supplied at the Splash Pad, the fishing dock and the fish cleaning station or will the city wait until it is sued before addressing this liability?

[Freedom Seeker]

Good points, shinblind, especially about kids and anglers needing hearing muffs, and just like the splashpad, I venture a guess it's suggested to be put there because no one else wanted the stupid, costly splashpad, now costing a whole lot more because the secret committees pushed the splashpad through and didn't consider residents who said you can't put pissy used bathing, chemically treated city water into PM lake. Will the city ever get off their high-paid horses and listen to the people? Copeyon Park has a new meaning of "dumping grounds."

[Willy]

That siren is just a throwback to a bygone era when kids use  to obey curfews. It is no longer relevant unless they want an emergency warning system and if that's so then the center of town would be the best place for it. I know why Copeyon park was chosen. It would be a great way to control the goose Sh_t by scaring them away, however it could make a lot of kids crap their swimsuits when the damn thing goes off. If the powers to be really want to be politically correct why not have a tower with speakers blasting Muslim call to prayers 5 times a day and really give the town a workout. Ludington could be mecca of the north. After all, City Hall operates as if they are the Taliban.

[Freedom Seeker]

Falling off my chair laughing, Willy! Well the Muslims could use the splashpad to wash their feet before prayers!