Letter to the Editor

I just submitted this letter to the ol' Wise County Messenger. Discuss amongst yourselves. :)

Crystelle Waggoner Park was built four years ago. Located next to Harmon Baseball Park, just off the Square, it was constructed of sturdy composite wood as well as beautiful wood decking. The play structure mirrors our own courthouse, and the maze within stimulates imagination. A beautiful wooden picket fence surrounds the park, keeping little ones contained and safe. A section of the park, designated for tots, has a huge sandbox and "just right" slides. My 2 year-old loves the farm yard mural, and walks around mooing and cock-a-doodle-dooing as he weaves in and out of the maze. Swings, tunnels, slides, chimes, bouncy bridges, fireman poles, monkey bars, and a rock wall complete the fantasy.

Vandalism completes the reality.

Within the walls of that mirrored courthouse, etched in permanent marker, words and pictures introduce toddlers to the profane and obscene. Names are carved into the wood supports, and personalized pickets have been kicked out and stolen. Tunnels and slides are now cracked and ruined. Chimes have been dismantled and stolen. Screens from the Courthouse Tower are now slashed. The sand box is just a box. The wooden chicks are gone from the farmhouse mural. My older kids see these things and ask me why these things have happened.

This once beautiful addition to our town is crumbling—sometimes even at the hands of those for which it was erected. It is painful to see such lack of respect by our own community for this wonderful facility. Decatur Jr. Woman's Club raised $110,000 to build this park. Decatur citizens worked together, and built this park in five days. Decatur Citizens, this is our park..

On November 15th, there will be a community work day to address many of these issues. Please join us this day to help restore our park, and afterward to help prevent its misuse. Police monitored security cameras surround the park; street lights illuminate the park; signs list park rules. But something more than cameras, lights, and signs is needed—Decatur Citizens, we ask that you take ownership of our park. Our children need your eyes and ears to help keep this place innocent. Let’s work together, hold vandals responsible, and protect our park, our community, our children and their future.

Danielle Scroggins
Decatur Junior Woman's Club