I urge my Mercer Island neighbors to think twice, read the small print on the “Save our Parks” petition being circulated and not to sign this petition.

For 30 years, my family has made use of the more than 20 parks on this Island and enjoyed them all — from the natural settings of Pioneer and Secret parks, to the active use parks of Mercerdale and Island Crest. The improvements we have seen over those years have only enhanced our use of those parks.

If the “Concerned Citizens” had their way, there would have been no children’s playgrounds, no skateboard park, no sculptures in Sculpture Park, no sports fields, picnic areas, amphitheater at Luther Burbank Park or even landscaping. The parks would not have been used for Easter eggs hunts, outdoor concerts, Shakespeare or Music in the Parks, Summer Celebration or the Farmers Market. Parks are meant to be used by a large part of the community — not just the select few who believe that their version of “parks” is what we all must be limited to. This petition doesn’t “save our parks.” It, in fact, restricts parks’ use and enjoyment for the majority of the community.

Denise Hopkins

Mercer Island