To the Journal editor:

The city of Marquette has failed to sell off the Cliffs-Dow property again, this time as a veterans’ home.

Even with the deep pockets of the federal government, it was decided that the Cliffs-Dow property, with all its toxic waste, would not be a safe property to develop as a residential site for our veterans. The EPA and EGLE have rules on toxic waste sites and their use.

The rules for residential real estate development on a toxic waste dump are much stricter than recreation or day use.

The city should not waste any more funds trying to develop Cliffs-Dow into a residential site for the same liability that concerns the Veterans Affairs has on people living at a toxic waste site.

The property is well suited for day use as a year-round dog park. The site is already fenced. A dog park does not need much in the way of development other than a few mowed trails.

Leaving the site in a somewhat natural state would keep the surface cap in place so there would not be any exposure to the toxic elements in the ground.

The residents and dogs in Marquette would greatly benefit from this land use. The city needs a year-round dog park!