Letter to the Editor: A response to comments about parking on the lawn at city parks

(Cody Webb of Decorah has submitted this Letter to the Editor in response to Monday's article questioning the practice of parking cars on the lawn of a city park):

"Dear Mr. Answer Person,
Not to get into a tit for tat on the issue of parking at city parks, but most people who are familiar with Will Baker Park know it is a one lane road through the small park with limited parking on the west end of the road that is mainly compacted dirt, as park visitors that park there pull off of the one lane road as a common courtesy for other vehicular traffic through the park.

Judging by the long shadows of the trees in the picture, the photo must have been taken in the late afternoon and yes the gravel lot on the NE corner of the lot was most likely empty. However, activities for that day started early and if you happen to bike, walk, or drive by the Will Baker Park complex on a Saturday morning, you will notice the gravel lot on the NE corner of the park is full of vehicles from people utilizing the park space.

There are so many park visitors to these fields throughout Saturday mornings that the gravel lot cannot hold everyone that the north side of the park, along 5th Avenue, is roped off for people to park on the grass. These parking areas to the north of the park were mainly full in the morning to early afternoon hours with visitors utilizing the north end of the park. We all know how narrow Pulpit Rock Road is; there is no space to park on the shoulder and probably illegal? With the lots to the north full of park visitors, the only safe place left to park is along the Will Baker Park road.

The intent was not to disrespect the park or to chase any park visitors off by parking along the road on Will Baker Drive. The intent was to safely park vehicles and to leave the drive and shelter area open for other visitors and to respect the visitors that were utilizing the north end of the park.

It is a public park open to all, I too get disappointed when my family goes camping and are unable to camp at the site that we prefer due to the fact that the public campground is first come first serve.

We are adults, I welcome constructive comments; please limit the "shoot from the hip" comments without first understanding the situation."