The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1951-06-28
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HAZEL
EYES
by Hazel Bronnon Smith

Thousands of Holmes and At
tala county citizens have been
taking advantage of the recrea-
tional facilities at Holmes County
State park near Durant this year
lin spite of the fact that prac-
tically nothing has been done in
the way of Improvement or re-
pairs for sometime.
This park helps to fill the need
for recreation to several thousand
people in this county and sur
rounding territory. 1t is definite
asset to our county, particularly
Durant. / should like to respect
fully suggest to the proper author
lties that plan be worked out
for needed repairs and improve
ments--together with a long term
plan for expanding the facilities
of the park.
At the present time there is be-
ing removed from our park $500
worth of ice-damaged timber-a
result of the February ice storm.
This money, as we understand it,
goes into the general treasury of
the state of Mississippi. If this
information is correct we would
like to suggest to our new legis-
lators when elected that they inn
mediately draw up local bill al
lowing Thus money to revert back
to the Holmes County Park to be
used in improvement and ex.
pansion.
"A few minor repairs have been
made this past week--and they
may barely get us through the
summer. But by next summer we
are going to be compelled to build
new swimming piers as we'll as
walkways around the lake The
diving board is going to have
to be replaced and other boards
should be added
There are a number of repairs
which should be made to the six
available cabins-to protect our
investment. Additional cabins are
needed. These six stay rented
a large part of the year.
AT the present time safety
cable is badly needed in the lake.
The present one is SO far out that
should a swimmer get in distress
he would probably drown before
the lifeguard cmrld reach him
unless other assistance happened
to be Hioser This really should
be attended to immediately.
Aside from these large num-
Der of picnic areas should be
opened with new tables and con-
venient trash cans in order that
more people may use the park
More outdoUr grills could and
would be used to good advantage.
Probably the most pressing need
Of all, except the swimming cable,
is for the twenty-acre site &C
quired several years ago to be
planted in grass--or some erosion
control measures started. This 20
acres is washing into the lake
and Is fast filling lit up.
There were 10000 trees sent
to the Holmes Park this year
which were supposed to have been
planted IN this .20-acre site no
start the erosion control program.
For some reason these trees were
never planted. They are still at
the park - now dead Of course.
We should like to call the at
tention of the Mississippi Forest
and Park Service to these things
and voice the wish of the people
in this DISTINCT that officials of
the latter organization do every
thing within their power to work
with local Interested authorities
in starting an adequate program
of improvement and developmcmf
for the Holmes County State
Park.
Everything we have suggested
as improvements could be done
with the $500 realized from the
sale of the parks timber,
Certainly it would be only fair
that money obtained in this man
ner should be used to further inn
prove and expand the parks OPP
Grafton.
We should like to call to the
attention of our readers TO the
following comment made by
Stokes Sanders, Jr. in The Star
Herald concerning the return Of
Sails soldier killed in action in
Korea. The body win IN all prob
ability come into the &c depot at
Durant. |
Body Of the first Attalan killed |
in Korea, Cpl. Guyton Stingley, is
now being returned home. So let
us tell you something about this
particular hero who made the
slrpreme sacrifice. He has been |