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Don Taylor scrapes muck from the bottom of the Fairfield Pike duck pond. (T-G Photo by David Melson) [Order this photo] |
Remains of a smelly, mucky mess fill a Shelbyville pond where, until recently, ducks swam and children played on its banks.
Repairs, of a sort, are underway at what's known as the "duck pond" on Fairfield Pike at Hickory Drive. But behind the scene lurks the battle of who foots the bill.
The pond's owners, Roger and Paralee Williams, insist the city of Shelbyville is liable for part of the costs. City Manager Ed Craig says the city can't legally work on private property because it doesn't own the pond.
 Joe Wright scoops up muck scraped by a dozer from the pond. (T-G Photo by David Melson) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
Surface moss regularly covers the pond during tranquil, dry summer months. State agricultural personnel told the Williamses two years ago there was little that could be done except to try and keep the pond aerated.
But the pond, due to what the Williamses were told is a leak in a dam, filled with an orange, mossy substance by mid-spring this year.
May brought low water levels and, eventually, a sizeable fish kill.
"A hole is leaking where the city built the dam," Paralee Williams said. "We can't keep the water level high enough to prevent the moss."
Big question
Craig says previous owners of the pond, not the city, built the small dam under the roadway on the south end of the Hickory Drive 'Y' intersection, which surrounds the pond on three sides where the road meets Fairfield Pike.
The area around the dam was strengthened several years ago, before the Williamses bought the pond and a nearby home, when the intersection was widened.
Water stood several inches deep Thursday in a ditch on the other side of the dam.
"There's always water standing on that side of the road," Williams said.
"(Shelbyville's public works director) Mark Clanton said the city could repair it but Ed Craig said they can't since it's on private property."
The Williamses say the city owns a 25-foot right-of-way from Fairfield Pike. The dam is within that right of way, Roger Williams said.
"It's simply not city property," Craig said. "The fact that part of the overflow is within the roadway doesn't make it city property.
"Everyone appreciates that duck pond and its amenities. It's just not city property and never has been."
Money pit
Whoever repairs the dam may face a costly struggle.
"We've been told to repair the crack in the dam they may have to go under it," Williams said.
 Joe Wright holds the scoop as Mary Wright, left, Brooke Taylor and Shana Taylor look for surviving fish and turtles, which were cleaned and moved to another pond. (T-G Photo by David Melson) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
"The city did bring in a pump, and we called Don Taylor to bring another one," Roger Williams said.
"(County) Mayor (Eugene) Ray looked at it and said if the county could help, to let him know. Several city council members and Mark Clanton said they wanted to help."
Craig confirmed that several council members had been in contact with the Williamses.
County help may arrive in the form of the pond being pumped by Volunteer Fire Services Inc. as part of a monthly training exercise, Roger Williams said he was told by Ray.
Relief effort
Repair work was well underway Thursday as Taylor operated a dozer scooping gray, slimy muck from the pond. Joe Wright stood on the bank with a net, spotting fish and, with the help of his and Taylor's children, scooping surviving catfish and turtles to safety.
"They're stockpiling muck to the edge of the pond to dry, then hauling it off," Roger Williams said. "We're moving surviving catfish to the other pond."
The "other pond" to which he referred is across the north side of Hickory Drive from the main pond, next to the Williamses' home. It appears clean and well-filled, with no moss. The locally-famous ducks have migrated to that pond, Williams said.
The ponds were constructed as rock quarries at least 70 years ago, according to Williams.
"It's been here since whenever Fairfield Pike was built. I've been told it was 1938 or earlier. These were quarries originally built to get rock for Fairfield Pike."
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I think the city should help, as the duck pond is enjoyed by lots of local residents, my child included. I think it is great that Mark Clanton, Mayor Ray, and other council members want to help. I would be willing to help, but am not sure what help I would be.
Looks like the city could find a way around all the red tape if they wanted to sounds to me like Craig just wants to pass it off to someone else. Everyone enjoys the duck pond.
Maybe someone should get together a fundraiser for "Save the Duck Pond"
My husband always said if they would put carp in the pond,the moss would no longer be a problem.
This is private property. The homeowner should be responsible. The City doesn't help me with my property. And they should not help him with his.
Government Involvement could set a precedent that would haunt us in the future but the solution could be to follow the lead of "justmyopinion" and start a fund raiser to save the pond. I went there with my grandmother when I was a child and carried both my children there and my grandchild also. Craig really doesn't have a dog in this fight and I would bet he went there when he was a child. All he is doing is what he should do in this case, manage the city. I do think that a fundraser is in order because it is surely a joy to a lot of people.
Since this is private property the city should not spend taxpayer money to help clean it up. I would donate to a fund raiser for the Duck pond if the Williamses were to set one up. My daughter loves the duck pond and looks for the ducks everytime we go by.
I always thought the pond was the city's, until not to long ago a piece ran in the times gazette with the William's saying, "It's mine, It's mine, It's mine!" Let them have it, and fix it!!
If no one helps them to fix the problem then they should put a fence around it that says "NO TRESSPASSING". Evidently this area is enjoyed by many people in the city and county and so something should be done like a fundraiser plus the city could offer some help in one way or the other. I would rather them waste money on that than wasting money on changing the direction of Depot Street a million times.
I agree, it has always been open to the public to admire, and should hold some type of "Historic History" it is a well known area of Shelbyville with it's own name "The Duck Pond". I hope the owners get some type of help from the city for its repairs, even if it is only through it's citizens.
The next article should be over where the "account has been established". SAVE THE DUCK POND. Since the majority of the children of Shelbyville (and surrounding areas) have enjoyed the duck pond, it needs to be an "historic preservation" involved. How many hours have been spent by the families enjoying "quality family time" with feeding the ducks? Makes you wonder if all the bread caused the problem. 68,000 houses in Shelbyville city limits. Could not everyone give a dollar? Hey, I got a $20.00.
My daughter and I always enjoyed feeding the ducks. Now that she's just about grown, I treasure those memories with her more than ever. I would be willing to contribute the Duck Pond fund.
STRIVING2SUR5:
I don't see how this says "It's mine! It's mine! It's mine!"
From the T-G article on June 19, 2007:
The Williamses take pride in what the pond could become -- and decry misuse by some less caring visitors.
"We're willing to share but I just want them to help keep it cleaner," Paralee Williams said. "It's theirs as much as ours."
http://www.t-g.com/story/1218205.html
If no one helps them to fix the problem then they should put a fence around it that says "NO TRESSPASSING".
-- Posted by jaxspike on Tue, Jun 9, 2009, at 1:02 PM
How do we know they wouldn't do that after we paid to fix it?
I'm so sick of the bickering in these comments. The only thing that matters is that the ducks, fish, turtles etc. have a clean and SAFE home. I would be willing to do anything to help regardless of who owns the pond.
Richard . . . the owners over the years have been very gracious in letting the public use the area and have never closed it off or mentioned doing that. All they are asking is some help to fix a problem that is a bit too big for them and since we all have used the pond and enjoy its environment for free, it wouldn't hurt for us to give them a hand. If they wanted it all to themselves then they would have fenced it when they first bought it.
I mean really, I have never stopped and fed the ducks or anything but I do enjoy driving by it and seeing the kids enjoying themselves plus its nice scenery. I wouldn't mind giving a few dollars myself because it is worth it. I guess too many people feel they are responsible and don't need to give any money but yet they want to reap the benefits of someone else's labor and work.
We could make the benefit a real doozy of a funds-and-conciousness raiser.
The Fly could have another Decorate a Duck project with people getting the chance to buy or create embellished "rubber duckies".
Local Corporations and other organizations could also compete in a "build a duck" contest or exhibition as a form of advertising.
There could be a "Duck Race" with people buying entrants for $5-$100.
(Ducks would remain the property of sponsoring organizations with proceeds going to designated charities.)
If a race in the mighty Duck River or local creek proves bad for the ecology,maybe a scaled-down pool version or other "quack-tivity" could be substituted for the river race.
The Duck Olympics could feature fun and silly games like "Sack a Quack" (a sack race).
Knoxville has done o.k. with its Duck event for the last twenty years.
Chattanooga has also had a great response to their funfair.
Many small communities have supported food banks and other charities with similar festivals.
We could make enough money to help the pond now,set up an account for its continued support and use any surplus monies (plus the earnings of future duck events) to assist any number of worthy causes).
Food and entertainment could be featured and local businesses could help with prizes for competitions,auctions,raffles,etc.
Perhaps,our civic clubs,places of worship,non-profit organizations,etc. could brainstorm even more ways that they could earn attention for themselves and their agenda by taking part in the event on behalf of the pond and the community in general.
http://www.thinkfasttoys.com/images/D/bi...
http://www.jacksonnh.com/ximages/m/119-1...
http://www.jacksonnh.com/ximages/m/119-1...
http://www.interfaithworkscny.org/duckra...
http://www.interfaithworkscny.org/duckra...
If people just donated a dime for every Easter duck that made the pond its retirement home over the years,there'd be no problem giving this spot the care it needs.
The only thing that matters is that the ducks, fish, turtles etc. have a clean and SAFE home.
-- Posted by 3boxers on Wed, Jun 10, 2009, at 3:30 AM
Considering the number of ducks I've seen squashed all over Fairfield Pike, I wouldn't exactly call it safe.
Don't write off the pond yet.
Madison Street used to be the be-all-and-end-all of Shelbyville and that changed.
(It could be revived at any time. Who knows?)
No one part of the city needs to get all the attention or be sacrificed.
Our needs are evolving.
If we think hard about our actions,we can anticipate some of our future requirements and meet them in an efficient,less invasive way.
We could lose the pond or it might become more important than it is now.
It and our greenways and places of historic significance could be major points in a re-invention of our town into a more beautiful,functional and prosperous community.
We might wind up creating critter walkways under our streets or confine the pond's inhabitants to a safety zone where the ducks could reign over a court of fish,turtles and feathered tourists from Canadian waters.
For all we know,one of the changes to the Fairfield Pike/231 area could be the building of a Peabody hotel for all our visitors.
Our waterfowl could train under retired ducks from Memphis,Little Rock and Orlando.
We'd have to acquire a Duckmaster,though.
Someone kind,intelligent and a good public liason for animals...
The Humane Society might have someone they could reccommend.
Then,we might have parades of fuzzy,yellow Graham quackers.
OK, that wont work, as soon as this is all set up quantumcat, the federal Duck Inspector Squad will show up and start looking for soring of the Ducks feet. They will likely shut the whole show down; remove all of the Ducks to place them in foster Duck homes and then fill the pond in to prevent future Duck abuse.