The Mount prospect Park district this spring is building a fountain and memorial park at Lions Park called the veterans annex adjacent to the band shell at a cost of $600,000. It has been in the park brochure, but I had no idea how big it is or how much it's going to cost.   (30 concrete and brick pillars, trees, bushes, and a big fountain in the middle.

We are very thankful for our veterans, and we believe that building the Veterans band shell was a great way to honor our veterans.   At the Park District meeting on January 25th it was expressed by the Park district staff that the purpose is to have a place for residents to "sit and reflect."   We think the band shell could already be used for this purpose.  We do not believe it is in the park districts primary mission to be in the memorial business. We find that there are other ways and more fiscally responsible ways to honor those who have served.

We believe the money should be used in a more fiscally responsible way, such as fixing the infrastructure of the 28-year-old Big Surf pool, locker rooms, and facilities, which the park board and CEO have been promising to repair for years now.

The bids for this Annex project will be going out shortly and then it will be too late to do anything.  To make your voice heard and to try to stop this, review the following petition, fill in your name, address, and the town, and your email (to prove you are a park district resident).   Then please pass it on.

We the undersigned strongly oppose the building of a fountain and memorial annex at Lions Park, which will cost $600,000.   We support our wonderful veterans but ask our Park Commissioners to vote no on this project and use the money to fix our park infrastructure, especially renovation of Big Surf pool and facilities, which are 28 years old.   We support incorporation of a veterans theme in the renovation of the pool in order to honor our veterans.