The best for the most

To some, the newspaper's unveiling of ideas for McEuen Field was accompanied by massive starbursts in the sky underscored by booming cannon from Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

To others, it was more like drunk cymbals clashing weakly, as they did after Clark W. Griswold's miserable first attempt at exterior illumination.

What will become of the ballplayers and boaters?

When is ground going to be broken, and by whom?

And who the heck's going to pay for all this anyway?

Fair questions for sure. Maybe sooner than later, the bottom line will need to be addressed.

But in the meantime, we encourage citizens to put themselves in the place of those tasked with thinking big about the most valuable piece of public property in the heart of our region. They were instructed not to wrap up their imaginations in financial straightjackets or to kowtow to special interests - two mighty tall orders right off the bat.

In fact, here's exactly what they set out to do, and with sledding hills and an ice skating rink and a Freedom Fountain and waders' cove and grand plaza and amphitheater and tons of room to hike and to play, well, we'll let you decide how true they've been to their mission.

Our mission is to develop a dynamic master plan, that allows the park to evolve into a destination park, with compelling and memorable features that serve the greatest number of uses for the greatest number of people, of all ages and abilities, throughout all seasons; stimulating economic benefits to the community; supporting regional events; and recognizing the legacy of the McEuen Field area.

- McEuen Park Steering Committee

For those of you who merely scanned that mission statement, we draw your particular attention to these key words: "... serve the greatest number of uses for the greatest number of people, of all ages and abilities, throughout all seasons ..."

That's the guiding light Team McEuen followed.

We think they followed it well.