Nearly 250 ask Magellan to address state of disrepair Lakeshore East Park

Discolored fountains, broken lightbulbs, deteriorating walls and unsafe staircases are just a few of the items listed in a petition asking Magellan Development to address the alleged state of disrepair at Lakeshore East Park.

Titled, “The 2020 Lakeshore East Park Project Petition”, the online document recounts the park’s history, calculates its cost, describes its condition and identifies its management before requesting signatures.

Since its completion by Magellan in 2005, the park has been donated to the city and transferred back to private ownership, according to the petition. It is currently managed by a Master Association with an annual budget exceeding $860K, funds that are collected from several New Eastside properties. An estimated $500,000 of the annual budget is paid to Marquis Landscapes, the firm that has been contracted to maintain the park’s greenery since 2015.

“While we may have pretty flowers in the summer, the foundation of the park has had little to no maintenance and deteriorates more each year,” the text reads.

The petition’s web page links to a slide show, the The 2020 LSE Park Presentation, that offers compelling visuals to support the unflattering descriptions of neglect.

Those who sign the 2020 Lakeshore East Park Project petition are “asking Magellan to please respond to our questions” and “to remove Marquis for lack of performance,” among other things.

To date, the petition has generated 244 signatures (updated April 22).