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Dave asks for your opinions, good or bad

We've all seen "best of" surveys in newspapers and online where readers vote for their favorite restaurants, stores, services and recreation or entertainment venues.

My take on this has a different twist. It might sound like a "best of" survey, but these questions place readers in scenarios they may encounter, so the thought process might be slightly different. These questions could pop into anyone's head during daily travels in the Tri-Cities.

Your answers could help give new and longtime residents alike a better feel for their communities.

There are no right or wrong answers, so in an upcoming column I will provide my answers and pass along some from readers.

Answer as many as you like and send your thoughts to my email address at the end of this column.

• If you had an hour for lunch at work during summer or fall, but were told it had to be taken outdoors, where would you go and what would you have?

• If you were told to kill two hours reading and relaxing outside of your home, where would you go?

• If someone told you to do something in the Tri-Cities you "haven't done in years" but always wanted to, what would that be?

• If a visitor said, "Let's just have pizza tonight," which pizza spot is getting that order so as to best impress that visitor?

• When driving around the Tri-Cities and surrounding area, which street, intersection or portion of road makes you feel it is "an accident waiting to happen?"

• If you had a sudden uncontrollable urge for something chocolate, where would you go and what would you get?

Going up?:

After what seems like decades of seeking construction of an elevator in the Baker Community Center, Melvin Peterson said that project is finally taking place.

The 95-year-old Peterson has been a board member at the community center in St. Charles for 70 years. He's at that age where he fully understands the benefit of having an elevator in the building.

Work on the elevator began in late June and could be completed by late October or early November, Peterson estimated.

It takes years of research and basically knowing about every nook and cranny in the building to make any upgrades become reality, Peterson said.

"There was discussion about an addition to the building being needed in order to include an elevator," Peterson said. "It was tried inside before, and the walls had some steel beams that wouldn't allow it."

But the proper spot has been found now, and older residents or those with disabilities will soon have an easier way to get to other levels of the building.

The elevator project has Peterson feeling pretty good.

"It's sort of been a happy-go-lucky time for me, with my 95th birthday and the work at the center," he said.

Plus, he's still able to do one of his favorite tasks at his former Wasco Blacksmith property.

"I have a clean bill of health and I am still mowing grass out in Wasco," he said.

But think about that for a minute. Will any of us be using the term "happy-go-lucky" to describe our life if we are lucky enough to be around that long?

A first visit:

A comment on Facebook recently made me realize why, in part, this column even exists. I like to write about places and events that readers maybe have heard about, but that's the extent of their knowledge.

The writer mentioned she had visited Peck Farm Park in Geneva for the first time and basically said it was shameful that she has driven by that area so many times and never bothered to check it out.

She was quite impressed, as well she should. Of course, I have mentioned this historic property many times in past columns, including last week when reminding readers about the Ralph Dantino learning dock at the property's lake.

Mostly, this is just a great place for adults and kids to learn more about the area and the Peck family farm on Kaneville Road, just west of Geneva Middle School.

An opportunity for that is coming up from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday during the park district foundation's annual free Autumn Fair at Peck Farm.

This is a chance to see it all. The Hawks Hollow Nature Playground, the observation tower, the butterfly exhibit, the nice walking paths, the lake, and various other games and events for the fair.

Opens its counter:

The small retail strip next to the Pride gas station at Lincoln Highway and Bricher Road has opened its newest addition with the Urban Counter restaurant.

Small restaurants and liquor stores have often found it helpful to locate near gas stations, so this kind of falls into that category.

Urban Counter is touting "Dogs. Burgers. Salads."

We'll always take that combination, right?

dheun@sbcglobal.net

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