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The Battle for Union Park Mail Tribune / Jim Craven photo Volunteers clean up Union Park in west Medford on Saturday. The bulk of the work this weekend included removing grass around oak trees to improve their health. Another day of volunteerism is planned for May 5. By Dani Dodge Even though it's only a block from her west Medford home, Kami Hvall, 11, can't go to Union Park unless she's with a friend. "Everybody says this isn't the right kind of park for little girls to play in because there's drugs and stuff," Kami said. But Saturday, Kami and her friend Mahwren Wear, also 11, walked through Union Park with a look of shared wonderment on their faces. The normally deserted park was bustling with people tearing down bushes, restoring trees and preparing the ground for flowers. The Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce leadership class has chosen Union Park as their class project, and over three different Saturdays plan to make it safe and beautiful again. "This should make it a real fun place for kids and families to come," said Dan Shulters, a former police officer who was driving a bulldozer Saturday. "And use is the best crime prevention." Union Park is between Plum and Hamilton streets, just north of Withington Street. It has long been a concern to police and neighbors. Chamber members discovered for themselves on Saturday the concerns weren't unfounded - as they tore out shrubs, they found two used syringes and a glass pipe used to smoke drugs. Most of the chamber members had never even been to the park before Saturday's project. "I never even knew this park was here," said Cindy Glover, a commercial loan officer who was wielding a Weedeater on Saturday. The 36-member leadership class chose the project over two other needs - renovating used musical instruments for school children and developing a program to get nice clothes to needy job applicants. "We felt this one could impact the most people," Glover said. Normally, Dave Kanner, the deputy county administrator, would have been spending Saturday on his own yard. Instead as a member of the chamber leadership class, he was hauling decomposed granite in a wheelbarrow. "I'll be doing my own yard tomorrow, assuming I'm not too sore," he said. "I'm not used to moving crushed granite." Before the leadership class took on the project, the city of Medford had budgeted $20,000 for the park, said Shulters, who manages the drug-free work program for Southern Oregon Drug Awareness. The oak trees in the park are in danger because they are getting too much water. So the city budgeted $20,000 to take out the irrigation system and replace the grass around the trees with crushed rock. But because the leadership class is doing all the labor, about $6,500 is being saved, Shulters said. That money will go toward a new swing set and slide. The group also has received donations from many businesses to help with other aspects of their project. "We will pull out all the shrubs and put lights all along with walkway," Kanner said. "It will make the park a lot less attractive to drug dealers." Mahwren and Kami were thrilled that they may be able to play again in their neighborhood park. They say sometimes when it's getting dark and they have to go through the park they run as fast as they can so no one can jump out and grab them. "Not too many people play here because it's not safe," Mahwren said. "But it's nice what the volunteers are doing." "It's pretty cool, actually." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.