In July 2011, the BV School District proposed a plan to acquire the land of the Stanley Nature Park from the Blue Valley Parks and Recreation District.
The current plan would add 40 acres of land to the BVHS campus and includes four practice fields for the high school softball, soccer, and football teams.
Approximately 4 percent of this acreage would go toward a new parking lot for BV students and would allow the school to re-stripe the main parking lot to widen parking spaces.
The Parks and Recreation District plans to purchase Brown Park and Baum Park if the school district purchases the nature park for school use.
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, members of the community were invited to a public hearing regarding the proposed plan for the Stanley Nature Park.
The meeting began with an outline of the plan by school district officials followed by an ecologist’s findings from an analysis of the park.
Following these findings, community members spoke for up to three minutes in response to the district proposals. Many of the community members expressed concerns that the ecological analysis was too detailed and left out a holistic evaluation of the park.
Parents of students, coaches, school board members and neighbors of the nature park were among those who talked at the hearing. Those who favor of the plan and those who oppose the plan both spoke at the meeting.
A fate of the park has not yet been decided.
To get involved, contact a district official or join the Facebook group titled “Save Stanley Nature Park.”