Thread: "neighbors say Park District's Trails of Terror is destroying woods"

Tweet

Link:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...r-24-acre-park
Yearly Halloween event scares residents into action
neighbors say Park District's Trails of Terror is destroying woods

Another article:
http://chicago.everyblock.com/announ...10/29/3509528/

This is about a haunted trail in my area... They are trying to prevent the haunted trail from returning next year. When I went to the event some park district officials were asking people to sign a petition to bring it back again. The local residents are complaining that it is "destroying the woods". Personally I think that's ridiculous, since the trail is in a very small part of the park that is only partially wooded in the first place, is partially paved already, and it's not like they're cutting down trees to make space for it. Sure they may kill some grass or weeds by putting down plastic pathways, but is that such a big deal?

The claim, "Access and the natural appeal of the park are limited by closed paths and large, unsightly temporary structures, barricades and fences"
is way overblown. The park is set up so that there is one large fenced section which is the "park" section, with grassy areas, trails, tennis courts, and playgrounds. Then separately fenced there is a large nature area and wooded trails. The woods are at the west end, the grassy spaces are in the middle and the partially wooded location of the haunted trail is at the east near a playground, tennis courts and encompassing part of a bike path. If people don't like the "unsightly" structures they can walk easily to parts of the park where you can't see them, and the majority of the park is not affected. This event only goes on for two weekends in October. I know the structures are there for a few weeks, but is that such a big deal?

I love the idea of a haunted trail, although I have never been to one.

Quite a while ago I use to live on Granville Avenue near Western and Peterson so when I read "Peterson Park" I had to do some map checking to refresh my memory. I'm sure I remember driving past the Rosehill Cemetary but don't know if I ever visited Peterson Park or not. It wasn't that far from where I lived really. It was interesting reading the articles you linked to. I think I recall something about an old TB facility and I'm guessing that would have been Peterson Park then.

Personally I would hate to see the event cancelled or moved. The park space is meant for everyone to use and I think that the event certainly attracts a lot of people to it who come specifically for that purpose of walking through the woods at night and it sounds like at $10 a head donation it raises quite a lot of money for a park. Heck here in California they are talking about shutting down parks or selling them off because they don't have the money to maintain them.

I looked at the pictures on someone's Flickr account that were linked to and quite honestly I didn't think the park looked destroyed by the event. In fact it looks like a lot of the walking trail areas in the county parks in our area that get used by a lot of park goers and hikers, kind of wide paths. The vehicle tire damage in one of the pics certainly can be easily regraded and seeded and restored in very little time.

Personally I think if the people complaining cared enough about the park and realized it's there for everyone to use then I think they should volunteer to help with plantings in the area. Personally I doubt that even if the park could assemble enough workers to break down the trail the next day, it wouldn't be good enough for them. I suspect they just don't want to see that many people enjoying the park in a way they don't approve of and probably don't like the idea of all the outsiders coming to their park to begin with.

Good luck. I hope the majority wins on this one. They shouldn't be robbed of enjoying the park in this way.

Massive amounts of people do destroy many things without even" trying", just by" being".
Someone(s) should be responsible to clean up and fix in a timely manner and complaints would then all become put in the crack-pot file. After World War One "experts" said nothing would grow on those battle fields for 30 years because of the poison gasses used there. That spring things were growing, Nature is no weakling or things would not have survived for all these years.
Maybe some of the damage was done by a satanic cult when they got all wound up and nutty disembowling sacrificial animals?
Yes! It's a plot by those people to keep the woods unused so they can do their thing in October!
I , unfortunately, have been told about some such activities in park-preserves near the city, scary stuff.
Animal mutillators are just practicing, waiting for larger victims.

Does the city profit from the haunted trail? If so, couldn't they money be used to plant some trees or something? Maybe they could work out some deal with the organizers to do a spring cleanup and planting.

Originally Posted by Ghost of Spookie

I think I recall something about an old TB facility and I'm guessing that would have been Peterson Park then.

Personally I would hate to see the event cancelled or moved. The park space is meant for everyone to use and I think that the event certainly attracts a lot of people to it who come specifically for that purpose of walking through the woods at night and it sounds like at $10 a head donation it raises quite a lot of money for a park. Heck here in California they are talking about shutting down parks or selling them off because they don't have the money to maintain them.

Yes, the TB facility was in the same complex as Peterson Park. Some of the buildings are now used as senior housing.
I am sure they raise a LOT of money. It seems the Haunted Trail gets more popular every year. This year I went with some friends and the line was very long, so I know they made a lot of money because there was a big crowd, and I went on what I would guess was the less crowded weekend (the earlier one.)

Originally Posted by Terror Tom

Does the city profit from the haunted trail? If so, couldn't they money be used to plant some trees or something? Maybe they could work out some deal with the organizers to do a spring cleanup and planting.

I believe the Chicago Park District is in charge of the event, so yes. As far as I know they do clean up after. I doubt they actually remove any trees for this event, although some scrub brush may be removed.

Will always cause and leave a mess.
If the protesters to the woodsie event are so upset , well, not much anyone this side of a vigilanty group will have much success at stopping the abuse.The gum wrappers beer cans and even clothing articles strewn around the parking lot here after a busy October night can be incredible. I know this because we live in the haunted house and if I don't take the time to be the janitor...it will be there tomorrow for me to look at, which is my only motivating factor but it is the only reason I need ......to get to work.

This is simply another grab for more government control initiated by short-sighted citizens.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

Originally Posted by MacEricG

This is simply another grab for more government control initiated by short-sighted citizens.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

Actually from the articles I didn't get the impression that the Park District agreed with the complaining citizens. The haunted trail is a fund raiser for them and keeps their park and jobs viable.

Originally Posted by Ghost of Spookie

Actually from the articles I didn't get the impression that the Park District agreed with the complaining citizens. The haunted trail is a fund raiser for them and keeps their park and jobs viable.

You are correct about the park district G-O-S. I'm just quick on the trigger every time I hear about the selective public wanting yet another law or restriction made that only serves to limit the way we can share our country…

Well, it happened.
The park will NOT be having the Trails of Terror this year due to the complaints from nearby residents. Which really stinks because a friend of mine and I were planning to volunteer there this year! It was near me so it would have been perfect.
Instead, the park district is doing an indoor haunt at the Theater on the Lake, which sadly is nowhere near me and not close enough for me to volunteer for it.