Tot lot meeting tonight at Pleasant Home, 7 p.m. It’s the lot at Grove & Randolph, to be expanded east of the alley to OP Ave. Park District looking for feedback. Here’s a thought: Abandon the expanded-tot-lot concept in favor of a two-park concept, leaving the alley open, clear, and free, as Montgomery Ward said the lake front should be, citing an 1836 city mandate. Why so? For garbage and emergency vehicles, for two things, for garage access by residents for a third. (This per the suggestion of a “gate” that can close alley off so kids can move freely from one lot to the other.)

As to the second park, it’s already been discussed, at the Aug. 5 tot lot meeting, also at Pleasant Home, in terms of “passive” use, that is, for sitting on bench and reading or watching tots frolic free-style, pretty fountain in place, etc. — leaving the present lot as is or improved for activity such as swinging on swings, etc. (It’s being fumigated at the moment, by the way, in search-and-destroying of unnamed “stinging insects,” per posted sign, but called bees at the Aug. 5 meeting, when citizens informed park district people of the problem.)

Hence a two-park approach, making park-style use of a gift from the village of the grassy stretch at OP and Randolph, in addition to tapping in on $200G which the parks have to spend on this improvement. Go parks! I like the quiet-bench area idea and hereby recommend it.