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Downtown Updates: The Poop on Parks

by Bill Dusty

A rather busy week has left me with just this quick piece to put up here, for now…

While enjoying a sunny afternoon in downtown Springfield last week, I encountered something a bit different upon walking into an otherwise familiar Riverfront Park.

It’s a little pedestrian roundabout trail for small children, called the “born learning trail.” The trail is actually just a painted walk-around of the central landscaping that decorates the main entrance to Riverfront Park. But I thought it was nice that Park planners had thought to put in such a thing for the kids who visit the park.

The learning trail has a number of signs with instructions for kids to say something, see something, or listen for something.

And there’s even a hopscotch course laid out, just for fun.

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Walking across Court Square, I came across this nifty looking solar powered trash compactor. Click here for a NPR story on these new-fangled devices. The linked story also includes a photo of the “guts” of the machine.

At about the same time I discovered the solar powered trash compactor, I stumbled upon none other than the regionally renowned writer/blogger/pundit, Tommy Devine, who happened to be visiting Springfield with his sister, Donna. Actually, he called out to me as I was looking curiously at the compactor. We stopped and had a quick chat, and Tommy took a photo of his sister and me. Click here for Tommy’s post that includes that snapshot.

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Finally, while passing under the I-91 overpass on my way back to my car, I looked up to spy what at first I thought was a hornets nest. Upon closer inspection, however, I discovered it was actually a rather tall mound of pigeon poop, set just underneath a girder which is apparently quite popular with the birds for use as a toilet seat.

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Posted by Bill Dusty on Sep 23rd, 2008 and filed under Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.