For the last year, the efforts of the Lisa Link Peace Park Committee, local businesspeople and concerned citizens have worked to improve the crime-ridden and sometimes dangerous space next to Subway on State Street. The park has long been known as a haven for drug dealers, drinkers and panhandlers located right in the midst of a primarily student-occupied neighborhood.
Yet, despite this, students are largely uninvolved in the park’s revitalization process. At a meeting Monday, extensively covered by the press and seen as an opportunity for the public to contribute its ideas, only four students were present.
Neither of the two representatives of the Associated Students of Madison listed in the committee’s roster as members was present. This has led some community activists to believe that students just don’t care about the park.
Yet student Adam Cohen disagrees. Cohen, who says he spends time on State Street at least every other day, says of the park, “I think it’d be a good thing to help out with it and improve it.”
Susan Schmitz, a member of the Peace Park Committee and Downtown Madison, Inc., was surprised at the lack of UW student involvement. “We thought we had it figured out,” she said about student representatives on the committee. “It was fine until last March, and then they just stopped showing up.”
“We know students are busy,” she continued. “But we scheduled our meetings at night to accommodate students and business people. It’s always nice when they’re there.”
ASM chair Brian Gadow, who was listed on the committee roster along with ASM member Matt Hoffmann, said, “We did appoint a student to serve on the committee — a new member to take over for me.”
“That student wasn’t able to come,” Gadow added. “I know a new student was appointed, but I don’t know specifically what his name was.”
When asked about the issue’s weight, Gadow said, “I don’t know if it’s a relative hot-button issue. There are things more important, like the state budget.”
However, Gadow did say, “I’m glad [Schmitz] expressed interest for students to be involved. It’s been brought to our attention, and I’ll look into it.”
Gadow suggested students interested in volunteering to help with the park contact the ASM office at 239-7205.
Cohen expressed surprise when he heard of the student absence from the project. “Our representatives should be present at something like that. A lot of students would be happy to have another place to hang out,” he said.
Schmitz agreed, saying, “I would think anything concerning State Street would be an issue concerning students. The park is near a neighborhood where students live.”
“It would really help us if you guys could do this,” Schmitz said to students in general. “We need everything the students bring. We need their energy, their feedback and their intelligence.”
