With the recent heat wave, we have been aware of the need to drink extra water to stay hydrated. Cautionary messages concerning the heat, and drinking more water, mention the extra concern for the elderly, children, and pets.

Although government exists for the health and welfare of its citizens, the City of Galion has failed to recognize its responsibility to provide drinking water in all its public parks. How can Galion even think of operating park facilities without drinking water and without restrooms? All city parks should have handicap-accessible drinking fountains and handicap-accessible restrooms.

That is not the case in Galion.

There are no drinking fountains and restrooms at Amman’s Reservoir and no drinking fountains or restrooms at Amick’s Reservoir. And as for the rest of the city’s parks, in most, the drinking fountains and restrooms are in need of remodeling or repair. They also need to be made handicap-accessible.

Now compare the status of these city parks’ drinking fountains and restroom facilities to what has been done to the Galion Graders’ baseball field.

Mayor Tom O’Leary has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the Graders’ ball field, and improvements include an expensive sprinkling system for the field. How can the mayor be so concerned with providing water to a ball field, yet not be concerned with providing drinking water to children and families using city parks? Galion City Council needs to step in and get the priorities back in order: providing drinking water to the thousands of people using city parks is the highest priority.

The mayor is proposing another shelter house at Amman’s, while continuing to ignore the fact that basic park facilities (drinking water and restrooms) are missing at Amman’s. Doesn’t anyone have some common sense? This is more than bad planning. It is unconscionable that Galion does not put the public’s need for drinking water and restroom facilities as the top priority for all city parks.

Council Members need to make sure Galion provides basic park facilities (drinking water and restrooms) that will protect the health and welfare of everyone using its public parks.

E. Roberta Wade

Galion