Family asks that Margaret T. French park not disappear in JBS/Swift expansion
By TAMMY R. LAWSON, TIMES-REPUBLICANArticle Photos
As JBS/Swift & Company has been making plans to expand their current pork processing facility, so have the relatives of Margaret T. French - in the form of a trip to Marshalltown.
A resident of Boulder, Co., Louisa Margaret Young - granddaughter of Margaret T. French - addressed the Marshalltown City Council Monday concerning the park named after her grandmother.
In order for Swift to build a massive refrigeration warehouse onto their existing plant, the company would need to purchase property known as French Park, located at the corner of Ninth Avenue and Bromley Street.
Young cited learning of the proposal to divert the playground from recent articles on the Times-Republican Web site.
"My family was under the impression the park had been gifted by my grandmother to the city, and our impression was based on what she had told us," she said. "If the land wasn't used as a park, it would revert back to the family."
Residents, as well as those who since moved away, have inquired whether the city actually owns the property with the legal right for Swift to buy, then build on the land.
According to historical documents at the City Clerk's Office, the land had switched ownership several times from 1857 through 1949, at which time Lennox Machine Company bought it, then gave the property to Margaret T. French during 1949 in exchange for $1.
In turn, French gave it to the city of Marshalltown in 1950 for the sum of $1, but it is also noted the city purchased the property for the fair market value of $5,500 as written on the deed.
With discern, Young said she and her family had the opportunity to review records and see the city's purchase agreement.
According to the title opinion prepared by Steve Irvine, there was no reversion interest or stipulations applied to the initial transaction.
"That was news to us - but the truth is, we heirs would not want the property back even if there was a reversionary provision," Young said. "Our concern is that the park has been here for a very long time - I used it when I was growing up."
Swift has offered to move and replace the park's recreational facilities to other locations. But Young took matters a step further - asking the city to establish another park with similar amenities and naming it the Margaret T. French Park as well.
Several members of the council, along with Mayor Gene Beach, abided.
"It was an act of generosity from my grandmother and we think the city should respect that," Young added. "I think people need to be practical and [replacing the park] may need to happen, but we would just like it not to go away and disappear."
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Contact Tammy R. Lawson at 641-753-6611 or tlawson@timesrepublican.com
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Woodman
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11-04-09 8:00 PM
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wow a cyklone & a grad student, sounds like 2 real educated geniuses. tell me how many jobs have been lost in Marshalltown? how many of ia's college graduates stay in state? has crime gone up or down in Marshalltown? what about violent crime? wasn't Marshalltown in the news in last yr with illegal workers that had to be deported out? funny on the google comment, but what's wrong w/ calling google or for that matter calling on a # of different businesses to re-locate? isn't there programs for displaced workers to bring them up to speed & create better opportunities. blaming the city for more places to work...?, but they have a elected responsibility to market the community to try to bring businesses in or sniff out oppportunities. who's a business to see the cyklone...the gradstudent, their not supposed to go to the city? i'll speak for myself marshalltown was a lot prosperous 20yrs ago than it is today. if you think swift is great all i can is wow, what a disapointme
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thevoiceofreason
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11-04-09 9:37 AM
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Butler Woodbury is 4 blocks away! You act as if there's decent playground equipement at French. Too bad its all down at Riverview and Woodbury.
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Cyklone
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11-03-09 9:20 PM
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Woodman, what new expanding jobs are the workers at Swift (and Lennox and Fisher plants for that matter) qualified for? People often forget that willing workers don't mean the same thing as qualified workers. Would you hire a Swift worker to be an actuary or insurance agent, an engineer or doctor? There are thousands of unfilled jobs in this country and they remain unfilled not because there aren't people but because the people looking for work aren't qualified. To blame the city for not having more places to work is plain wrong. "C'mon Google, build here, our residents can program pork loins for you".
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bestofbothworlds
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11-03-09 8:16 PM
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If we made Swift go away, there'd be no reason for French park. There would be no children in that neighborhood. Only a few elderly people who can't afford to move or just won't.
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Woodman
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11-03-09 7:51 PM
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Your all looking @ it wrong, French Park should stay & expand. You should be looking @ kicking out Swift. Swift is nothing more than a home for illegal immigrants & undesirables. You want to change Marshalltown kick Swift out, & find some real council leadership that has some vision to bring in true businesses that offer better paying jobs in which you can keep current residents & add to the current population base. i don't see that with the expansion of Swift, but then again i don't see any leadership with your current council, their living in the past. if there is problems with French it's because of Swift, doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out.
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happygolucky
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11-03-09 7:08 PM
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The last item from me was to be a little sarcastic...
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happygolucky
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11-03-09 7:08 PM
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It does not make any difference, the gays, lesbians and drug adicts will take the park over.
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Butler
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11-03-09 6:41 PM
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"thevoiceofreason" You still don't get it, French Playground has served this neighborhoods children for more than a half a century. First Woodbury School is more than a couple of blocks from French Playground and what good is it for this neighborhood if it's relocated to Riverview Park. Oh yeah the children from there aren't "worthwhile" according to you anyway.
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thevoiceofreason
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11-03-09 3:48 PM
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I guess it's hard for people to pick up on sarcasm via posts. Does everyone forget about the park down at the school a couple blocks away and riverview is fairly close as well. Why not rename a section of riveriew the French Quarter if the name is important and move the equipment from French park there?
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gratefulgertie
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11-03-09 2:52 PM
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The Elf Museum...seriously? Maybe after they run out of drugs at French Park they go back to the Elf Museum to purchase more!
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Johnny
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11-03-09 2:30 PM
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Voice, anyone who doesn't know where the elf musuem is must not live here, or get out much. I was once cursed by the elf, back in the day.
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Stargazer
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11-03-09 1:30 PM
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Why would city money be a problem? Moving the park should not cost Marshalltown one cent. Swift wants the land to expand, part of that expansion is to pay to relocate the park. The city only needs to tell Swift where the new park is to be located, and then make sure Swift fully complies with purchasing land, facilities, equipment, and installation. End of discussion.
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frommtown
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11-03-09 12:44 PM
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I personally spent many hours playing at French park. All children of Marshalltown deserve a place to place, regardless of which neighborhood they live in. I hope if the current French park is taken as part of the expansion, the city will replace it with a place nearby for the children of the neighborhood.
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Butler
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11-03-09 9:58 AM
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Grad did you really play the god card?
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Butler
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11-03-09 9:57 AM
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"thevoiceofreason" I think you have misnamed yourself it should "snobofmtown" Who are you to judge what is worthwhile? Elf Museum, really? I have never heard of it. It must be a national treasure. I will be sure and check it out next time I'm in town.
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thevoiceofreason
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11-03-09 9:12 AM
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The only thing worthwhile in that part of town is the historic Elf Museum. I'm guessing the only activities happening at French Park these days have to do with drugs.
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happygolucky
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11-03-09 7:51 AM
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Another thought,,, Where will the city place this park, where will the money come from (remember the city is broke). Will this location be in an area where all can use it? The council criminals were very fast in agreeing with Mrs. Young.
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