As I reported Monday, a design charrette for Theodore Wirth Park begins tonight.

One of the topics that is bound to be discussed at the charrette is a proposal submitted by the Nordic Ski Foundation to use the Par 3 golf course as a site for a staging area for cross county skiing and a center for "silent sports" along with other changes.

Below is a recent version of the foundation's December proposal annotated by the Friends of the Theodore Wirth Par 3, who have voiced concern about the ideas.

In their rebuttal, which is shown in red, the Friends criticize several points of the Nordic Ski Foundation proposal. While the Friends say in the beginning that the rebuttal is "not a criticism of skiers or a condemnation of their Foundation," they make it very clear that they question the logic and motive of several of the foundation's suggestions.

"The Nordic Ski Foundation might be better served if they simply stated their own motives for the changes they recommend rather than claiming they are acting for the benefit of others. That would be more genuine. But at times it would also make it more evident that they simply want something that someone else has."

We'll see how the discussions go this week.

Today the community meeting will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on the second floor of the Wirth Chalet. On Thursday, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., the open studio will let the public visit with the design team who will be working on concept ideas. On Saturday, from 9 to 11:30 a.m., there will be a community open house to review the concepts at the Par 3 golf clubhouse. Public comment is also welcome at the citizen advisory committee meeting which will be on Nov. 8 at park board headquarters from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

A Vision for Wirth Park