LANSING - Residents claim the city has not sought their input on the proposed sale of Genesee Park, and more than 15 citizens gathered Saturday night at the park to protest its sale.
“It’s not the selling of the park,” said Eugene Buchley, one of many who braved the cold to protest. “It’s the underhanded way they’re doing it. If it wasn’t for a few people, we would never have known what was going on.
“This is the way the city is run.”
The park is located at the corner of Genesee Street and Butler Boulevard in Lansing. Many of the local residents said they had no knowledge of the possible sale until playground equipment and a sign identifying the park were removed. The city is expected to approve the sale of the property to the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition for an estimated $15,000. The coalition plans to put two new homes on the property.
The people gathered at the park held signs and candles as people from the community spoke about the reasons they believe the park should remain open. Lois and Greg Klink, who bought their home about a year earlier in the area, spoke about their disappointment in the park’s possible removal.
“We came home one day and the equipment was gone,” Lois Klink said. “We thought it was a decision for the neighborhood. We passed around a petition and it looked like everyone wanted it to remain a park.”
Many of the protesters were angry about the way the sale has been handled. No vote has been taken within the community to allow people living near the park to decide, which many at the vigil see as a violation of a charter ordinance requiring a vote for the sale of such property.
According to a section of Lansing’s city charter, parks, recreation, cemetery or waterfront land is not to be sold without approval of voters. The city originally purchased the land in 1969 for approximately $98,000, a fact that also frustrated those at the park Saturday evening.
“The city charter is plain and clear - no park can be sold without a vote,” said John Pollard. Pollard served on the Lansing city Park board for almost 14 years. “This looks like a park to me.
“That’s where we’re at right now - we’ve got right on our side.”
The Lansing City Council plans to discuss the matter at its meeting tonight. Many at the vigil, despite the accusations and lawsuits, hope the park will remain for local kids to play in.
“I want it so my kids can play,” said Candace Stanfield, who operates a daycare center near the park. “During the summer I had to take them to Comstock Park, which is quite a few blocks away. I don’t like to have them play that far away.”
