SMALL PARK REMAINS AN ATTACTION TO PEOPLE

Mark Brune and his wife, Sherry, were clearly looking for something.

They stared into the small fountain-fed pool at "Water Plant Park" for a few moments, then walked down a small incline into the nearby clump of trees.

"There used to be a picnic table here," said Brune.

The Brunes, of Wentzville were visiting Cape Girardeau over the weekend.

"Any time we're in town, we circle Cape Rock Park," said Brune. "We always stop by this little park near Cape Rock. It's a quaint attraction. We lived in Cape Girardeau a couple of years after completing school at Southeast Missouri State University and the Water Plant Park was one of our favorite spots."

The Brunes were not the only people visiting the small park, located alongside Cape Rock Drive.

"A lot of people visit that park," said Ron Wilson, a cameraman for KFVSTV. "I'd like to see it as it was when I was a youngster. At that time, the pond was filled by goldfish."

No fish are in the pond now, but "a lot of people stop by and look," said Wilson.

The park is not a large one, probably about 80 x 120 feet, with the fountain and pond in the middle of the tract.

"We'd like to see lights in the park," added Wilson.

"We" are Wilson and Herb Nance, members of the American Legion Post Number 63, which has taken on the chore of caring for the 27-acre Cape Rock Park, just to the north of the smaller park, under the Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Department's "Adopt-A-Park" program.

"I've written a letter to Union Electric, which owns that tract," said Wilson. "We'd like to get UE's okay for the Legion to include that area in its cleanup activities."

"We just want to clean it up," said Nance. "Some of the bushes need cutting, and the area needs to undergo a complete cleanup. We'd like to put a flag out and plant some flowers in the tract to generate more attraction."

Included in the request to Union Electric is a request for electrical power to the small park.

"This is a historic place," said Nance. "A lot of people pass by the small park en route to and from Cape Rock Park and Twin Trees Park.

"The American Legion is already involved in cleaning up Cape Rock Park," added Nance. "We're willing to take on the Water Plant Park, too."

"I don't see any problem with the Legion taking care of the park," said Virgil Chirnside, district manager of Union Electric Company, 400 Broadway. "The Legion had requested some signage for the park. We're looking into that now."

Wilson said the Legion wants to install a sign saying the park is being maintained by the American Legion,

Chirnside said the park was constructed about the same time as the water plant, in 1932.

"At one time, there was a round concrete picnic table, and a concrete barbeque grill," said Chirnside. Through the years these two items have become victims of weather, time or vandals.

Dan Muser, of the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Departments, said the improvements being urged by the Legion would be great from the city's point of view.

"It's location is near two city parks -- Cape Rock and Twin Trees," said Muser. "I think it enhances the area."