Horseshoe's heritage

Horseshoe Farm Park was once what it's name implies, 146 acres of farmland surrounded on three sides by the Neuse River. Now it is the centerpiece in a debate over how the Raleigh area's dwindling supply of open space can best be preserved while at the same time providing parks for the public.

Should Horseshoe Farm Park become, as some have recommended, a relatively intensely developed recreation destination? Should the plans, for instance, include a 24,000-square-foot building large enough for two basketball gyms along with outdoor tennis and basketball courts with lights for night use?

Or, in this case, is less more?

Raleigh has an opportunity to create something unique at Horseshoe Farm Park, located in the fast-growing northeastern part of the city. While other parks in the city's system offer a wide range of activities, Horseshoe remains close to its natural state and is a valuable wildlife habitat on the banks of the Neuse. Those who say that as much of its natural heritage as possible should be preserved make the better case for its future.

The Raleigh City Council, which is scheduled to consider the issue today, should sharply trim the development plans approved by the city's Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board. A competing proposal from the Horseshoe Farm Master Plan Committee offers a better mix of recreational facilities while leaving much of the park in its natural state.

That plan calls for a community education center focusing on the environment, picnic facilities, restrooms, an amphitheater, a children's playground and river access for canoeing and rowing.

Some Raleigh locations obviously would benefit from intense recreational development, but Horseshoe Park is not one of them. It is an irreplaceable community asset that should be kept as close to its natural state as possible.