Nature Preserve President Speaks Out

A PLAN TO BUILD A 12-MILLION DOLLAR BASEBALL FACILITY AT WESSELMAN WOODS IS GETTING MIXED FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS AND OFFICIALS. FOX 7S JULIE DOLAN TELLS US WESSELMAN NATURE PRESERVES PRESIDENT SAYS HE NEEDS TO HEAR MORE FACTS BEFORE TAKING SIDES. THE SERENE PEACEFUL ATMOSPHERE OF WESSELMAN PARKS NATURE PRESERVE IS WHAT PRESIDENT VIC CHAMNESS SAYS IS BEST ABOUT THE PARK. BUT THE PRESERVES PEACEFUL DEMEANOR, MAY SOON BE THAT OF SOMETHING ELSE. CRACKING BATS AND CHEERING FANS. A PLAN TO BUILD NINE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS AT THE PARK IS UNDERWAY. CHAMNESS SAYS THE FIRST HE HEARD OF THIS WAS THROUGH THE MEDIA. IN RESPONSE THE NATURE PRESERVES BOARD MET TUESDAY TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY, AND SENT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND THE PLANNING COMMITTEE FRIDAY. "WERE HOPING FROM THIS POINT ON THEYLL INCLUDE US. NOT NECESSARILY IN THE DECISION MAKING, BUT AT LEAST CONSULT WITH US" IN THE LETTER, QUESTIONS REGARDING WILDLIFE IMPACT, A POSSIBLE BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN A FACILITY AND THE PRESERVE AND DRAINAGE PLANS FOR THE FIELDS. THE QUESTIONS DONT STOP THERE, HE SAYS WHAT THE BOARD WANTS MOST ARE FACTS ON HOW THE FACILITY WILL EFFECT ALL ASPECTS OF THE NATURE PRESERVE. "WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE PUT ADJACENT TO IT, SO WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE WOODS." HE SAYS WITH PROPER PLANNING IT COULD BE DONE. HE, LIKE SOME RESIDENTS, ISNT COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF URBANIZING THE PARK-- IT MAY EVEN BRING MORE TOURISTS IN. BUT HE SAYS ITS ALSO IMPORTANT TO KEEP AREAS LIKE THE NATURE PRESERVE THE WAY THEY ARE. CHAMNESS HOPES TO HEAR BACK FROM OFFICIALS MONDAY. THE BOARD WILL MEET AGAIN THEREAFTER. THE BALL FIELD PLANS WERE DRAFTED BY THE EVANSVILLE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.