To the editor:

The struggle to preserve the Madison Tot Lot continues.

First, we were presented with the grim prospect of the land swap, which would have put  toddlers in harm’s way, near one of Winslow’s busiest intersections. Now, the push to amend the covenants to allow an access road through the tiny playground is steaming along despite concerns about legality and safety.

This road runs counter to the use restrictions to which the city of Bainbridge Island is legally bound by their purchase from Randy Varga in 1997. It violates the spirit and intent of these covenants, and is a slippery slope to more concessions that mainly benefit Madison Avenue Development Company (or whatever name they go by now). The convoluted mechanizations employed by the city, parks district and the developer to steamroll the public into thinking this is all safe and legal are enough to make the Tasmanian Devil dizzy.

But Bainbridge parks assures our fears. Somewhere in the universe, they say, exists the fabled, “Exhibit A” — an elusive document which promises to disclose the details of the proposed easements and boundaries. I can’t wait.

We must insist the city observe its obligation to uphold the original declarations by compelling parks to honor the terms of the 2009 transfer agreement.

A few of the endless, troubling questions:

How can we make sound judgments with incomplete information?

Why did the council ignore the wise advice of their own city attorney who said it was their duty to oversee  disposal of easements according to the terms of the transfer?

Why should the public lose out because of the “misjudgment” of the city and parks district?

Could this jewel of a park be forever lost — revert back to the generous Randy Varga — because the city and parks district fail to abide by their own transfer agreement?

History has shown such large financial losses are usually borne by the tax-paying public in the end.

CRAIG SPENCER

Bainbridge Island