Parks have a long history beginning with English nobles creating boundaries around green spaces to keep deer in for hunting and regular people out.
That’s a long way from what this park means to all of us and all the people who will visit after today for decades into the future.
This space is proof of what Margaret Mead said
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
For me this has a special meaning—as one of the founding members of keep Riberia Pointe Green –this was my start on the road to public service. This small group managed to change the direction of the City’s development plans for this space. (Yes, governments do make mistakes—but they can also correct them)
Those efforts to keep this space green pale next to the monumental achievements of the committed citizens led by the thoughtful, persistent and graceful Dr. Robert B Hayling for whom this green space is named, and who along with many others from this neighborhood and beyond changed the course of our country through immense courage and personal bravery.
Dr. Robert B Hayling Freedom Park will serve us all as not only a respite, a place to find our better selves again , and to contemplate the immense god given beauty of nature but as a reminder that not only can we all change the world for the better. But that we must. And that like Dr. Hayling—we must never stop working for the betterment of our fellow man and for freedom—There is more to do.
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