Neighborhood looks to gravel pit for new park

Countryside Woods — The neighborhood association wants to build a park out of a pit. The latest Countryside Woods newsletter points out that the Evergreen Pit, also known as Schmid Pit, is no longer producing gravel and dirt for the St. Johns Improvement Project, and that pit owner Tapani Underground is now “just doing grading and reclamation.” At a recent meeting, the neighborhood association voted unanimously to pursue making the westernmost chunk of the pit — adjacent to the existing First Place Neighborhood Park at 15020 N.E. 16th St. — into a park. The pit is directly east of First Place park, just south of Northeast 18th Street. The neighborhood will pursue the idea with the city, neighboring First Place Neighborhood Association and Tapani.