celery pond

A fellow artist and friend, Frederick Franck, who passed away on June 5, 2006, at age of 97, was so inspired by this Great Law that he created a sculpture called “Seven Generations,” which is now famous all over the world. 

It stands 8-foot-high, 32-foot-deep, and includes a series of steel planks with a human silhouetted in the center.  It gives the viewer the illusion of looking down a narrowing corridor with seven figures standing in line.

Poetically, he met the meaning of the Great Law- from child to adult again and again - the sixth moving into seventh symbolic cycle of time, a number of completion in many beliefs.

The original iconic piece sits in the late Franck’s sculpture garden, in Warwick, NY.  Called Pacem in Terris, the whole property is dedicated to bringing peace on earth.

The sculpture has been replicated in more than a dozen public venues around the world, including St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York, as well as parks in Buenos Aires and in The Netherlands, where he was born.

Like the subject of his famous sculpture, the words of the Great Law of the Six lives on.  The power of art and the power of the word of truth are ways for us to deepen our thinking and guide our choices.

‘And peace and healing can reign on the land for generations to come, with the warring tribes laying down their differences, for a higher vision…’

Let’s explore all possibilities for creating a linear park on the Dunkley lands. 

The Indians were once caretakers of these lands - they undoubtedly felt them worthy of protection according to the Great Law.  By keeping the waterfront area in public hands we preserve this legacy.     

(See www.south-haven.com re: City Manager’s Report to City Council Agenda, June 1, 2009 which includes an aerial map of the Dunkley area.  Sections under discussion are parcels B1,B2, C1, C2, and D.)

Last Thursday the Council and staff agreed to meet on site at the 625 Dunkley property to inspect the property and discuss the options, while getting more clarification by walking the land.

According to the above Manager’s Report, “staff is requesting council feedback on whether the remaining proposed additions meet the council’s intent.  Further, staff is seeking council feedback on the preferred process for receiving public input on the proposed additions.” 

We look forward to hearing the Council’s comments. 

Back in 2006 when the Celery Pond Advocates organized two community walks through these public lands, both the public and Council were invited.  About 60 people showed up between the two events, but no elected Council member. 

For the Celery Pond Advocates, this new initiative from the elected officials seems like a mark of progress.

The Celery Pond Advocates are no longer an informal community group but a 501 (c) 3 organization.  We are dedicated to keeping the wetland and adjacent lands preserved for the people into perpetuity.

As the Council members continue their debate to place these public lands in the parks system, we fully endorse and applaud such an effort.

The move to take this action precipitated lots of press, largely inspired by the two potential developers, J&B Landing and 1st Choice Marina.  Some must have forgotten that a Council vote on the Dunkley Plan in 2006 held a majority agreement to make a linear park along the riverfront.

A good friend of mine who has been mayor of a local municipality nearby, said to always keep publicly owned lands that are waterfront.  It makes sense.

To preserve such an area, one would move to make the public land part of the City Parks system - that is also not restricted in its use - ie. restaurants can use the land, etc.  That’s what the Mayor and present Council are working on.

In a wobbling economy, with the pleasure items of boats, expensive second homes, etc being eliminated from lifestyle choices, it would seem a good idea to reconsider things.  Four housing developments are at a standstill in South Haven; rental of marina slips are much lower this year. 

We all have to go beyond ourselves and see a broader picture.  The City park from downtown to the piers is used by residents and by hundreds of thousands of people that visit the area.  A linear Park on Black River could and would have the same appeal, undoubtedly.