Riverside should take care of its parkways
Since my illegal hostas were chosen to be pictured in The Landmark’s story about Riverside parkways, I thought I’d give you the opportunity to do the “fair and balanced” narrative.
The photos are just two bleak examples of village-maintained parkways in our downtown. There are many more. Somehow I doubt Mr. Olmsted envisioned these prairie moonscapes?”nor pictured retail advertising signs displayed on them.
I understand that the village is doing this project by sections, but this is, in fact, our downtown main street, with probably the most foot and vehicular traffic as Riversiders go to shop, snack, catch the train or walk the kids to schools.
Might not it help “preserve the integrity of Olmsted’s design” and set an inspirational example if the village showed the way, took the initiative and cleaned up its own front yard first?
And, by the way, I have been told in person by a village authority that there is no homeowner’s obligation to maintain the parkways in front of their homes. One does not have to use much imagination to picture this town if no one mowed, watered, fertilized, seeded or raked the parkways for the village?”one has only to look at these pictures again.
Rick Steinman
Riverside
Brookfield FD program helps school kids
Earlier this year, the Brookfield Fire Department initiated a comprehensive smoke detector education program for Brookfield school children. At the request of Lincoln School, the firefighters returned on May 15 and raised the learning curve to the next level.
Thanks to the assistance and generosity provided by Brookfield Department of Public Works and Lyons Fire Department, Brookfield firefighters brought the Lyons Fire Department’s Fire Safety Trailer to the school.
Children from all grades were educated and then practiced how to safely evacuate a smoke-filled, second-floor bedroom. Non-toxic (training) smoke was used for learning and safety purposes. The event was a huge success.
The Brookfield Fire Department met its main objective, which was to enhance the children’s survival skills in the event they should ever need to escape from a fire. The children also benefited from learning about hazards in the home.
We hope to continue this program in the future. Special thanks to Al Kitzer and Adam Berger from Brookfield Department of Public Works. Special thanks also to Chief Gordon Nord and Firefighter Frank Knitter from Lyons Fire Department.
Patrick Lenzi, fire chief
Brookfield
