Friends,
Amid the stress all around us, from heartbreaking gun violence to global unrest to women’s rights in peril to economic challenges, perhaps this month let’s lean into a couple uplifting improvements locally.
One is in Lower Cascades Park. This is our oldest city park – celebrating 100 years – and we’ve invested in some beautiful upgrades. I encourage you to visit, on the north side of town along Old Highway 37. A new 700-foot boardwalk makes the lovely waterfall on the west side of the creek accessible to all kinds of folks (still preserving the more rugged trail on the other side of the tributary creek). And the main creek now has wonderful new access points, with striking limestone ledges allowing sitting and relaxing (and wading) right along the creek edge. Other improvements make a visit to Lower Cascades a fresh, and refreshing, experience I strongly recommend.
A second upgrade is at Griffy Lake. We have just opened a major new fishing pier and trail along the length of the causeway and road by the boathouse. This opens up the lake to more recreational fishing and sunset gazing. And it connects the beautiful trails on the north and south sides of the lake safely and smoothly along the causeway. Next up will be a trail across the dam to complete a circumnavigating trail route – about six miles long – that will let us enjoy a full hike all the way around the treasure of Griffy Lake.
Nature’s beauty can be a healing balm to us amid stressful times. Our national-Gold-medal-winning Parks and Recreation department helps Bloomingtonians enjoy nature and promotes our physical and mental health. I encourage you to check out the two upgrades mentioned, and so much more. Our Bicentennial Bond program helped support these and other local projects to keep Bloomington thriving, even as challenges persist.
We are lucky to live in this special place, and I am proud to be working with so many fine public servants who keep making things better and better. Thank you for your efforts, and your care for Bloomington.
Democratically yours,
John
P.S. This Saturday, June 18th I can recommend a visit to Switchyard Park for the Juneteenth celebration, from 2 to 7pm at the picnic shelter, with free food and music to commemorate Emancipation Day.