News and Notes
Save Jean Klock Park

    [Click on links below]

    June 17, 2008 - Press Release



        June 1, 2008 - National Public Radio



    June 1, 2008 - Michigan Public Radio








    April 21, 2008 - Michigan Public Radio - Jack Lessenberry







    PRESS RELEASE: January 31, 2008




    Herald Palladium:



    Benton Spirit News:



    Michigan Citizen:




    Herald Palladium-October 7, 2007

    The Herald Palladium reported on the supposed "expansion" of Jean
    Klock Park the comparison of the conversion of its 22 acres of
    contiguous dunes and other areas, and the mitigation (land swap) of 47
    acres of designated wetlands which are not connected, but rather and
    obviously disconnected from Jean Klock Park.

    The article features a post card photo layout  of scenes of fisherman on
    the Paw Paw River (which by the way can be done without this
    development) next to, for the most part, unusable wetland areas that
    would be traded for the irreplaceable and non-renewable dune areas of
    Jean Klock Park.

    Is it a fair trade?


    Detroit Free Press-September, 30 2007

    Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of
    Conservation Voters, submitted the following opinion to the Detroit
    Free Press. We feel her extremely on point opinion deserves serious
    notice not only by Governor Granholm, but the people of this great
    State of Michigan as well.

    In this opinion the Lisa refers to a 2000 quote by Gaylord Nelson,
    former Governor of Wisconsin won the nickname "the conservation
    governor " :

    "We have finally come to understand that the real wealth of a
    nation is its air, water, soil, forest, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic
    beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity. Take this resource away,
    and all that is left is a wasteland. That's the whole economy."

    For the PDF version click below and links included in the article click
    below:




    Author Paul Street wrote about Benton Harbor in 2003.  He has studied
    race, class and poverty in America and his latest book, Racial
    Oppression in the Global Metropolis: A Living Black Chicago History
    (New York, 2007), again looks at how the non-elite, particularly people
    of color, are marginalized, global-style, in one of the world’s great cities.


    Vincent Duffy, News Director of Michigan Public Radio, came to Benton
    Harbor to investigate the controversy about the proposed takeover of
    Jean Klock Park and  to interview city residents and others about their
    opinions. His report aired on 104.1 FM  West Michigan on September
    5th. The following week the segment was aired on South Bend's
    WVPE, 88.1 National Public Radio.

    Benton Harbor's population is 94% African American. In this report it is
    most interesting that Dwight Pete Mitchell, also an African American
    and Benton Harbor's City Manager, had this to say:

    "We want to change the image from an industrial kind of city to a
    tourist kind of location, uh, that people want to visit and want to
    stop because of the amenities that we have here so that's going to
    change the whole complexion of the community."

    Mr. Mitchell's interesting choice of words about changing  the " whole
    complexion of the community" may be speaking more truth than he
    realized when he spoke those words because gentrification is a real
    threat to the community of Benton Harbor.

    Read and/or listen to the report below:
      
    Benton Harbor resort development makes waves



    August 10, 2007




    Benton Spirit News July 26, 2007

    Dr. Desmond Murray, an Andrews University Professor and a columnist
    for the Benton Spirit News has written a series on Urban Renewal
    articles about Benton Harbor. Please scroll down to page 4 of the July
    26, 2007 Benton Spirit News PDF to read his most recent column.  In
    this column Dr. Murray highlights that the Benton Harbor community is
    being taken over by "carpetbaggers"  and others who do not invest but
    "swindle"  the community.

    'We Can Do For Ourselves'


    May 13, 2007


    The Friends of Jean Klock Park were consulting parties in the historical
    review process for Jean Klock Park. We had 30 days to prepare a
    commentary for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We completed and
    submitted our report on March 6th. Our assessment was in response to
    one done last fall by Hitchcock Design, a venture partner of the
    development, who concluded that the golf course would have no
    impact on the park's historical significance.    

    We disagree and feel our research and compilation of the park's history
    is the most complete documentation ever done on the park 's history
    and qualifies the park for nomination to the National Register by the
    State of Michigan.

    We plan to make the 60 page document available to the public in the
    near future. In the meantime, a copy of our press release and one page
    history primer may be read by clicking on the links below:




    March 5, 2007

    Monday, March 5, the Herald Palladium published a front page story
    titled "Environmental, property hurdles remain for project." The story
    covered Harbor Shores proposed permit application with the DEQ,
    parcels that still need to be acquired by Harbor Shores for the project,
    and other requirements that must be met before permits can be issued
    by state regulatory agencies.

    The following day Harbor Shores began cutting down trees in the
    project area; most notably the Climax Forest in the Golf Road
    Ravine/North Shore Drain area. The Friends of Jean Klock Park
    received many emotional and angry phone calls and e-mails in regards
    to the activity. Questions were asked of us as to how this could be
    done before permits have been issued. We, and the people who
    contacted us, are all devastated to see the permanent loss of this
    magnificent woodland. Unfortunately the answer to that issue is Harbor
    Shores has the right to fall trees on property they own. However, they
    did not obtain the necessary permits from the Berrien County Drain
    Commission to work near the North Shore Drain and work was shut
    down until the required permit was obtained.  

    The Environmental Protection Agency restricted Harbor Shores from
    cutting trees between April 1 and September 30 to eliminate impact to
    the migrating and nesting Indiana bat and birds. We, along with others,
    are deeply saddened that Harbor Shores made the decision to waste
    the Climax Forest prior to obtaining permits. In the end, if permits aren't
    issued, and with or without a golf course, the permanence of this act
    will remain fresh in the minds of witnesses for years to come every time
    they look at what's been lost.


    December 11, 2006

    The Benton Harbor City Commission voted to approve a draft of a
    Lease Agreement between the city and Harbor Shores Community
    Redevelopment Inc. To read complete coverage by the Benton Spirit
    Newspaper go to www.bentonspiritnews.com. You can also read an
    unedited copy of a Letter to the Editor that was composed by the
    Friends of JKP and sent to several news publications by clicking here.


    August 22, 2006

    The City of Benton Harbor held four comment and review hearings
    regarding the proposed 3 golf holes located in Jean Klock Park. They
    were held at two locations with two separate meeting times. At one of
    those meetings a member of the Friends of Jean Klock Park revealed to
    the audience the recently discovered information that a Jack Nicklaus
    Signature Golf Course does NOT require a water view to qualify as a
    "Signature" course as Harbor Shores Community Redevelopment has
    claimed.

    Although media coverage of these public hearings was well done, the
    information that was provided by us was unreported. Links to the
    recent reports are provided below: