UNIONVILLE - Mitzi Jones has been serving up steaming bowls of split pea soup at Unionville's Old Pioneer Garden Bed and Breakfast for over 30 years. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, her homemade recipe was savored by two groups striving to achieve an understanding about the future development of Unionville Park. Pershing County Commissioners Carol Shank and Pat Irwin met with 18 - 19 Unionville residents (and people from the surrounding area) to hammer out a plan. Apparently the soup (and good communication skills) worked their usual magic.
Unionville residents contacted the commissioners when a majestic canopy of poplar trees was chopped down to the stumps. At the meeting the commissioners explained that although they would have preferred to save the trees, they took this step after having them examined by a certified arborist. The verdict was that the trees were diseased to the point of being hollow in the middle. Their condition was judged to be a critical threat to public safety.
Lovelock residents will never forget the 2008 Frontier Days Celebration when a large tree limb broke and fell on several of our citizens with life-changing results.
The park's Giant Sequoias may grow faster without the competition of the poplars, which generally have a life span of only 100 years. The Sequoias should last for thousands of years.
County commissioner Pat Irwin stated that there are many issues to be addressed in Unionville including road condition and maintenance, firebreaks and the cemetery.
"But the issue coming to a head is the park," he added.
He volunteered to work with Unionville to come up with a master plan for its future development.
For starters, a heavy-duty tarp will replace the collapsed roof of the last remaining clay building. Mark Twain's building will also receive needed attention. The current Port-a-Potty will be replaced with a permanent bathroom facility. The question of what to do about the poplar stumps will be addressed. Fencing has already been replaced.
"The people need to decide how they want the park to look in the future," said Shank.
Possible sources of funding to help realize their vision include Barrick and Coeur Rochester. The combination of design, labor, and community improvement would make the park an ideal Eagle Scout project.
The productive hour-long meeting brought people together to care for a well-loved - if sparsely populated - region of Pershing County neighborhood - historic Unionville.
"All of us here in Unionville want to preserve the beauty of the park - whatever it takes," said Unionville resident David Jones. "People come from all over the world to view this piece of our history. This meeting gave me hope that we're on the same page after all," he added.
If you have fences to mend give Mitzi a call. She won't mind sharing her recipe for split pea soup. You supply the communication skills.
Old Pioneer Garden Bed and Breakfast can be reached at (775) 538-7585. County commissioner Pat Irwin can be reached at (775) 461-6887.[[In-content Ad]]
