celery pond

The City Council decided on Monday, December 15th, in a 5-1 vote that no more funds would be given for the permit process for the potential development of the Celery Pond.  J&B Landing and 1st Choice Marina are the other applicants, along with the City, in this project. 

According to an article by Andrew Lersten in the South Haven Tribune, on Sunday, December 21, 2008, city officials will also “ask the two other co-applicants for a letter of understanding, stating that they realize that the city’s continued support for the permit process does not mean the needed city approvals for Celery Pond development would be granted.”

The article stated that the other two applicants plan to pay the monies (estimated to be $7,585) for additional work to cover engineering costs as requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Both private owners want to move forward and keep the permit process active.

The new year will lead all of us forward in an economy that speaks for itself.  There are many levels of caution that are showing up nationwide. 

The obvious shift in spending habits is something that ripples through daily choices of lifestyle and living.  What was considered something wonderful to have, is being eliminated as wasteful excess. 

Think Green is an approaching opportunity of 2009. 

The permit application, started a few years ago, when the City was under Kevin Anderson’s management, seeks to cut a channel from the Black River across Dunkley Avenue to the pond where a possible marina would be dredged.  Also included in this idea was building a boardwalk on the wetlands to be owned by the city. 

The Celery Pond Advocates developed as an organization seeking to prevent the wetland from the marina development, encouraging the City to “Think Green” now and into the future. 

Should the City continue to support this application when over $26,000 has already been spent on it?  If you have an opinion, you might want to contact your local Council member to voice your views. 

In the interlude until a decision is made, with the holidays upon us, I’d like to share something sent to me by my 93-year old cousin.  He is a retired architecture with a talent for drawing, so when I saw his Xmas card with his painting of an old windmill located on a green hillside in France, I smiled. 

I share the sentiments of his inscription:  “Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for Good Health and Good Luck!  “Think Green”, how about a windmill for Xmas?  A nice energy source for over 1,000 years!”

He also added a picture of himself, seated in a garden, with French beret on and alongside this picture was a humorous quote from “Alice in Wonderland”, chapter 5: “You are old, Father Williams,” the young man said, “And your hair has become very white; and yet you incessantly stand on your head - Do you think, at your age, it is right?” 

Forever after, when I see the “Alice in Wonderland” sculpture in Central Park - a “Think Green” space conceived of over 100 years ago - I’ll be reminded of my cousin’s wisdom.  I will also hold true too to the vision of Celery Pond preserved, with a wonderful parkland adjacent to it on the floodplain area off Dunkley Avenue. 

Happy Holidays to all! 

Their accomplishments are known.  This is a continuation of their successful work over the past 2 years.

Meeting is tonight, December 10th at 7pm at the Geneva Township Hall in Bangor, at 62127 County Road 380.  For more details contact Erin Fuller at (369) 657-4030 x112 or at erin.fuller@mi.nacdnet.net.