HIBBING—As citizens involved with the effort to save Cobb Cook Park celebrate that the park is no longer being considered for development, there’s also a renewed interest in the park’s long-term preservation.
“The Cobb Cook Coalition has several requests and ideas to improve the park,” Hibbing City Councilor Justin Fosso told the Mesabi Tribune via email earlier this week. “I know the city will be looking into each request to see what steps can be taken. I would hope that some rededication of the park can take place as well as improvements can be added.”
The Cobb Cook Coalition is planning a barbecue from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at Cobb Cook Park to celebrate that the park is no longer being considered for a proposed HRA housing development.
“Everyone is invited,” Ashton Martin, one of the founders of the Cobb Cook Coalition.
One of the main goals of the coalition right now is to find a way to protect the park from future development, whether it be from the city or any other interest, Martin said.
On top of preserving the park itself, the Cobb Cook Coalition is looking at ways to honor the memory of Fred Cobb and Earl Cook, two World War I veterans from Hibbing killed while serving their country. One thing they’ve discussed with Fosso is the possibility of raising money for a memorial in memory of Cobb and Cook to be placed at the park to honor their memories, she noted. Future plans involve community action, looking at ways the community can help the city maintain the park.
Ashton and her sister, Morgan, formed the Cobb Cook Coalition in June when they learned the city council had approved selling the neighborhood park to the HRA for $1, contingent on the agency securing funding. After some opposition to the move, the council rescinded its action and worked with residents and the HRA to come up with the alternate site.
While researching the history of Cobb Cook Park, members of the coalition learned Frank Ansley, a former Hibbing mayor had donated the land to the city more than 100 years ago, contingent on it remaining a public park.
At a Hibbing City Council meeting last week Ashton read aloud letters from Ansley’s descendants, urging the city to restore the covenant and preserve Cobb Cook Park.
Ashton told the Mesabi Tribune last week that her understanding is the covenant was binding for 30 years. The coalition is urging the city council to consult with the city attorney on ways to preserve the park in perpetuity, so future generations can enjoy the park for another 100 years.
Patricia Ansley, in a letter dated July 27, 2024, thanked the Hibbing City Council on her family’s behalf for “honoring the spirit of the gift of land to the city of Hibbing by early settler and former mayor Frank Ansley over 100 years ago.”
“Since then Cobb Cook Park has been enjoyed by children, families and visitors to Hibbing,” she wrote. “We would be very pleased if the council would renew the terms of the original covenant.”
Other family members who wrote echoed her sentiment.
“The intent of this land, which my great great grandfather donated, is for the prosperity of the community, it was to bring the community together and make Hibbing a great place to live,” wrote Brennan Ansley-Weldy.
“The purpose of public housing is to help the community, by extending a helping hand to those who are less fortunate than the rest of us and help them back on track in life,” she wrote. “This park is very important to the community as a whole providing a place for children to play and for community socialization. Selling it away goes agaisnt the whole purpose of public housing, it would just create animosity between those in public housing units and everybody else fostering an us vs them mentality, dividing the community.”
Brennan wrote that nobody in her family would want to divide the community in this way, noting she was glad the city was willing to reconsider selling the land that her great grandfather had donated. In her letter, she called for a solution to provide high quality public housing “while also strengthening the integrity and heritage of the community.”
“This is what my great great grandfather Frank Ansley would have wanted,” she concluded.
Sierra Ansley, the daughter of Frank Ansley, named after his grandfather, the land’s donor, also called for the preservation of Cobb Cook Park.
“The park was intended to serve the community and clearly it has, seeing the outpouring of support to keep it,” Sierra wrote. “These days, community is more important than ever and we hope that the park continues to play a valuable role in bringing people together.
Sierra also acknowledged the need for affordable housing, while writing about her own family’s struggles to secure adequate housing.
In closing Sierra said “everybody deserves safe, quality housing,” calling for the city to find a solution that brings the community together rather than dividing it.
For more information on the picnic planned for July 27 or the Cobb Cook Coalition you can call 218-966-8504.
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