> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thestreatorstandard.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Great Oakland Park Debate: What Even Is This Place? - URL: https://www.thestreatorstandard.com/f/the-great-oakland-park-debate-what-even-is-this-place/ - Published: 2025-06-12T06:59:29.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-19T13:59:05.000Z - Author: The Streator Standard - Tags: Community Once upon a Tuesday in Streator, Brett Baumrucker asked a simple question: Why doesn’t Oakland Park have a sign—or a jungle gym, or a basketball hoop? By Wednesday, what followed was not a solution, but a civic vortex involving parks, pensions, property lines, Polish picnics, playground embezzlement, and bathroom locks. \--- “I Haven’t Seen a Sign in Years” Brett lit the match: “There hasn’t been a sign up in more than a decade.” Mel Leonard replied, “It was still there back in 2017 before my cousin bought the place.” Brett fired back: “You better provide a picture because I haven’t seen an Oakland Park sign in years… I’ve been asking why we haven’t put up a sign for probably 10 years.” Kevin Missel stepped in to draw the map: “Open Bible owns the property from the school and the fence on to the north. The City of Streator owns the property from the fence south to James Street.” So the answer? The park exists, it is public, and the sign vanished sometime after 2017\. Possibly a tornado. Possibly time itself. \--- Jungle Gyms and Turf Wars “Why did they have basketball courts and a baseball backstop back in the day but now they don’t?” Brett asked. “I just can’t believe a city with 12,000 people can’t afford playground equipment in their parks.” Kevin replied with a systems solution: “A parks district would have a parks director and a staff… where we pay someone to seek funding and grants for that kind of stuff? Could happen.” Others weren’t so sure. Beau Boyles said we don’t need a parks district—we need to eliminate the City Manager: “Free up that BIG salary and invest that into our community!” Matt McMullen gently countered: “There are things we need a city manager for and past issues will back that up.” And just like that, the playground discussion became a governance referendum. \--- "Used To Be a Nice Big…" Chad Hogan delivered a gut punch of nostalgia: “Used to be a nice big I believe painted sign in the above metal work pictured… Oakland Park painted in white letters… Packed with picnics every weekend, Polish picnic and carnival, in the winter they’d flood the south end…” But these days? Melanie Riendeau doesn’t even feel safe taking her kids there: “All the recent shootings and violence near the City Park… Not to mention there's no bathrooms.” Jessy Kristine Borst replied, “Since when are the bathrooms closed?” Melanie: “Yup, always locked.” Jessy: “Prob because of homeless people and addicts.” Brett tried to steer the narrative: “It’s completely understandable to feel that way, but it’s a safe town regardless of a few shootings… Kids are always riding bikes and playing in my neighborhood.” Amanda Tyler disagreed: “I’m afraid to bring my kids to play there… I’m afraid to even let them play in our own yard.” \--- Public or Private? Even That’s Confusing Mel Leonard suggested the park was now “private property” owned by her cousin. Brett responded flatly: “It’s a public park. The building and behind the building is the church part. City owns the front park and maintains it.” Kevin Missel confirmed the city/church boundary and called the area “a great opportunity for partnership.” Mel, now caught between personal history and public knowledge, settled on gratitude: “Thanks for the clarification. 👍🏼” \--- What Now? For a town often accused of being disengaged, this Facebook thread shows the opposite. Streator residents know the history, feel the decline, and have strong opinions about what to do next—even if they don’t always agree. Should we establish a parks district? Rebuild the jungle gym? Put up a new sign? Unlock the bathrooms? Hire someone to chase grants? Elect new leadership? Or maybe just… sit down at the picnic tables and talk it out in person, like they used to during those Polish picnics at the old Oakland Park. Because if there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s this: That little forgotten park still has potential.