We are responding to your article on McGuffey Park in the March 1 issue of the Hook. There were a few errors that a quick call to either Friends of McGuffey Park or the landscape architecture firm, Siteworks, could have cleared up before going to print. We are not sure where you came up with the number, but the budget for the renovation is significantly lower than $750,000.

In addition, the designer of the park is Pete O'Shea and his landscape architecture firm, Siteworks. While Robert Winstead did collaborate with Pete O' Shea on the Free Speech Monument, he has not been involved with this project.

Finally, the drawing was one that was given to you over a year ago for your article in November of 2005. The design has changed significantly since then.

The Hook, in both of its articles on McGuffey Park, has lived up to its reputation of gratuitously trying to stir up controversy by placing a negative spin on what many people consider to be a worthwhile project. Was it so hard to find a negative quote this time that you had resort to using the same quotes that were in the November 2005 article?

Contrary to the sentiments expressed in your article, community support for this much-needed renovation has been enormous. Friends of McGuffey Park has sponsored two well-attended community gatherings, a community yard sale, a survey, and two years of monthly meetings of our community-wide advisory board. Financial contributions from local citizens and organizations have been significant.

Without this support, the project would not be a reality. Thank you to all who have stood behind it.

Elvira Tate Hoskins
Kristen Suokko
Friends of McGuffey Park
[email protected]

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