As the new Kids Cove in Marquette’s Mattson Lower Harbor Park nears completion, the boo-birds are already out in force. As soon as it was announced the new play area was going to be “all-inclusive,” and will cost more than many think it should, you could have predicted the complaints.
Without one kid yet to skin their knee or spill their Skittles, you’d think the Kids Cove should be bulldozed and the colorful equipment be returned for a full refund.
Well, there’s nothing like a bunch of adult keyboard warriors to take the fun of out having fun. The Debbie Downers have already decided the new park is an embarrassment to the community and will be a disappointment to kids of all abilities. Even though those same people may never give the playground a chance… their day is ruined!
It Costs What?
Okay, is it legit to question the cost of the new Kids Cove? Sure. 1.7 or so million bucks is a lot of bread to commit to slides, swings, and other things. The original Kids Kingdom came in for under a couple hundred grand. But that was a long time ago, in a financial world far, far away. If you think your grocery bill is high, try building a playground.
Here’s the thing about the cost. Unless you voluntarily contributed… IT’S NOT YOUR MONEY! The whole thing has been built without taxpayer dollars. And it’ll be free to use.
I ran some of these… I’ll call them concerns, past our local Energizer Bunny Nheena Weyer Ittner. Like other kid-centric projects around town, Nheena has been on the forefront of the new Kids Cove from the get-go. Regarding the cost, Nheena says, “When you design a playground that can’t just be purchased at Walmart, you pay. It’s what things cost when we want quality and uniqueness.” In other words, it is what it is.
And anyone who builds anything these days can tell you there are plenty of rules and regs you have to follow to make sure the playground is safe. All that adds to the cost.
Just for Fun
Regarding the all-inclusive aspect and the general playability of the new park, Nheena says, “Each piece was carefully chosen with the help of a host of experts, to challenge and delight all children regardless of ability. I am certain the park will be filled with laughter, growing friendships, and love… of every type of child imaginable. All kids will play on everything!”
There’s a school of thought which suggests kids need challenging play areas in order to learn how to navigate difficult situations. Like, it’s easy to climb up this tree, but how do I get down?
That’s fine for your backyard, but in a community park, that theory has its limitations. Injuries and the commensurate liabilities have to be taken into consideration. You want your kids to have fun, but you also want them to live to play another day.
So here’s the deal. The Kids Cove will have a ribbon cutting sometime in the near future, and kids will descend upon the place with one thought in mind… having fun. That’s when, Nheena says, “I look forward to filling the playground with children. Let them be the judge.”
Another Visit to the Hospital
Regular readers of Word on the Street might recall my last visit to the hospital. It was back in April when I suffered a Vasovagal Syncope and spent the better part of the day being tried and tested to make sure I would be around for another sunrise. Well… I was.
Wednesday I visited UP Health System-Marquette again, only this time I walked in, and out, under my own power. The hospital was hosting one of the Lake Superior Community Partnership’s Business After Hours.
First, let me point out… there are no “after hours” at a hospital. It’s life and death, 24/7/365. Many of the staff we mingled with were still dressed in their work clothes, in case duty calls I guess.
Beyond that, I was able to chat with those who neither run the place nor claim any ownership… the folks who provide the service we expect when we check in and put ourselves under their care. And though this hospital has somewhat of a less-than-stellar reputation around town, you wouldn’t know it by those I spoke with.
Dedicated Employees
Criticisms of UP Health System-Marquette typically deal with things other than actual healthcare. Questions about billing procedures, staffing issues, inter-departmental communication, or the lack of certain specialties, make up the usual complaints. But those concerns are often tempered with compliments to the medical staff. Fairly or not, management is typically considered the offender responsible for any perceived hospital shortcomings. However, I have no reason to believe they’re any less committed to positive outcomes than those on the front line.
Sure, you may have had to wait longer than you’d hoped, but when you’re finally face-to-face with the dedicated professionals who make up the medical staff, you invariably find quality, compassionate care. That was my experience and I believe it’s the experience of most.
Who’s in Charge?
There was something else I noticed when the hospital folks took the mic and introduced us to a few of those management people I was talking about. All the chiefs… the CEO, CFO, COO and other such O’s… are women.
We’re no longer surprised when we learn of women heading up major corporations or other large institutions, so there should be no surprise when a hospital follows suit. In fact, I’d suggest a hospital is where women should be in charge. After all, who are the nurturers among us? Women! Moms and grandmothers have been the ones making us feel better for centuries. It only stands to reason that a hospital be run by those predestined to help us get back on our feet… women. What took us so long?
UpTheSky More Down than Up
UpTheSky, the mixed-use development proposed for a 70 acre site near the Meijer store in Marquette Township, appears to be dead in the water. Easement issues with Meijer surfaced back in 2017, and although those were resolved, the pandemic subsequently impacted the developer’s ability to take advantage of state assistance with infrastructure, and the project hit the wall.
The property, currently owned by Up The Sky Development LLC of Palos Hills, Illinois, as well as the project plans, are both for sale. It doesn’t appear the original developers plan on going ahead with the project.
Although the property would have access and infrastructure challenges if someone wanted to develop it, there’s still plenty of value in that it’s in Marquette Township, where a lot of commercial and residential activity is already taking place.
Like a lot of projects we’ve seen announced over the years, this one held some exciting possibilities, but alas, the resources didn’t measure up to the ambitions. Announcements of new projects are exciting. Grand Openings are even better.