Replacing chairs and cutting down trees to cost $100k for Hemming Plaza

[Marley Weinstein]

The "solution" to the Hemming plaza "problem" is a total WASTE to TAX payers.  I would like to see who on the city council actually votes to spend 100k on park improvements.  Where would they be getting this money from?  I thought the city was facing budget cuts.

Also, I've been to Hemming Plaza at all hours of the day and I've never felt unsafe.  The park is already patrolled by the police and there are cameras everywhere.  If people feel sooo unsafe about visiting Hemming Plaza with the current police presence, perhaps they should choose another park to visit.

Throwing 100k at this situation is the wrong thing to do.  I have not been active in the Hemming Plaza meetings however, if this "solution" gains anymore traction, i am willing to join the fight against this boondoggle.  The citizens must take a stand or else government will spend spend spend

[ronchamblin]

Actually Strider, walking out was kinda fun.  I was Walter Mittying, imagining I was at a United Nations Meeting, and that I was walking out in a huff like the Russians or the Chinese.  It was such a rush, perhaps it might be enough to allow me to attend other meetings.

But yes, I do have difficulty speaking in front of more than three people.  The pressure of being self-conscious overcomes the ability think and speak about what one really wants to convey.  So, I suspect that for the rest of my life, I will simply convey most of my ideas via writing.  This shows the value of online forums like MJ.  The forum gives people like me, who are uncomfortable at meetings in crowded rooms, a chance to “talk” in front of people without really being in the room.

I suspect that there are those in the city council, and others associated  with the city, who read the MJ forum discussions.  So it is good for all MJ posters to speak their minds on subjects in which they feel qualified or interested. 

And yes, Ralph Whiskey, I am engaging the art project.   

[Steve_Lovett]

Hemming Park is the birthplace of the city's civic life. It should be a great place. I disagree that the solution to its current challenges is to make it so uninviting for everyone that NO ONE wants to be there.

Who has authored this solution, and who is leading the decision-making process?

[writemrbond]

Ridiculous! The best thing about the park is the trees. How unbearable will it be in the summer without shade. What fools thought of this?

[writemrbond]

And it's awesome that there are a lot of people playing chess there every day. The funny thing is that if we were in Rome and they were a bunch of old Italian men playing chess, everyone would be like, oh, I love Rome and all the people outside having heated discussions and playing chess, etc. But since they are black guys, they are undesirables! Humans and their prejudices are such strange things! 

[sheclown]

I have never felt uncomfortable at the park.  No one has ever bothered me.  I like trees and chairs.

COJ, if you do this, everyone will know it is only to clear out the poor from the park. 

[ben says]

Hemming Park is the birthplace of the city's civic life. It should be a great place. I disagree that the solution to its current challenges is to make it so uninviting for everyone that NO ONE wants to be there.

Who has authored this solution, and who is leading the decision-making process?

Denise Lee and Don Redman, the solutions are pushed by Jerry Morans group of merchants

What angle is Jerry pushing?? Is this all about his business? Or is it something more...

[ben says]

Hemming Park is the birthplace of the city's civic life. It should be a great place. I disagree that the solution to its current challenges is to make it so uninviting for everyone that NO ONE wants to be there.

Who has authored this solution, and who is leading the decision-making process?

Denise Lee and Don Redman, the solutions are pushed by Jerry Morans group of merchants

What angle is Jerry pushing?? Is this all about his business? Or is it something more...

His business and his 1962 era politics

Jerry: people won't visit your restaurant because you charge $30 dollars for a plate of pasta, talk everyones ear off, and your (quite frankly) racist intermeddling on the issue of the park. People aren't avoiding your business because there's people sitting in the park. Get a grip.

[thelakelander]

Why dont we just offer a hundred thousand dollars to the 'undesirable' group to stay away from the park for a year?

You could probably convince the entire clique to do it for 50 thousand dollars plus access to a bathroom.

Better yet, give me and the remaining Northbank workers $1k a piece if we sign a contract to eat our lunches in the park.  You'll fill the park and save $70k or so in cash.  However, I'd like as many trees to stay as possible.  Slavery is over.  No need for a brother to bake in the sun if he doesn't have too.

[CharleyNovember]

I am at Hemming at least once a month for artwalk. I have not noticed a lot of problems with the tables and chairs. I sit at them when I am there. If their are a few that need repair or replacement then repair or replace them. You don't throw out the baby with the bath water. As for being intimidated I have only had one issue in the year that I have been going. A drunk asked me for some money and I didn't happen to have any extra and would not take no for an answer until I told him to go fuck himself. Problem solved in short order but of not their were 3-4 uniformed officers a short distance away that didn't bother to intervene at all. Had my wife been there by herself she would have felt very intimidated by that. This town is backwards it always has been since I was a kid and it continues that fine tradition.

[ronchamblin]

It’s comforting that I’m getting some support on MJ for my position of being gentle with the park; that is, not getting carried away with the removal of trees and tables / chairs.  Actually, in fairness to the park villains, the current plan is, if I am not mistaken, to remove only the damaged or diseased trees, and not to remove them all.  I do hope however that they replace the removed trees with teenage trees, as there are few things in nature as beautiful and calming as a tree.  We humans have experienced the beauty of trees for eons, as we have the sky and the earth, allowing me to suspect that there is something within the human psyche which allows comfort and pleasure as we view and feel these aspects of nature.  So yes….. city council persons, let us have the trees, the beautiful live oaks in amongst the concrete of the city core.

It seems to me that the mayor and the city council are very determined to get something done “now” about Hemming Park.  And this pressure is being placed upon the individuals and committees, who are impatient too.  All of this frustration, determination, and impatience is driving many to do “something”, “anything” to solve the “problem”. 

We shouldn’t have to spend lots of money on the park.  Any money spent should be on overall enhancements, and not on awkward changes to force out undesirables, who should be addressed in more effective ways.  All the park really needs is several tree replacements, some refurbishing of existing furniture, creative programming, encouragement of locals to use the park, engaging needy individuals hanging out in the park with a view to taking them to a position of self-sufficiency, and strict enforcement of the rules so that gradual banning will reduce the occupier level to one that is tolerable.  Anything more is a waste of time and money, and will do nothing for the long term goals of the park.   

 

[Kickbackssteve]

If it was April 1st, I would have assumed this was an April fool's joke.  I can't believe this is real. 

[thelakelander]

We had a great food truck bazaar at Bold City Brewery that attracted hundreds of residents today despite the rain.  Something like it could be programmed at Hemming Plaza in less than a month for pennies on a dollar.  Another idea would be to designate Monroe and Duval Streets as everyday drive up locations.  Then take that $100k we're about to waste and invest it in a children's playscape or tot lot, to attract groups taking field trips to the museum and library.   The extra foot traffic will naturally run off the bad element (there's nothing wrong with the old guys playing chess, so I don't consider them bad, imo).  Concepts like this would bring more people into the park in the short term than anything this committee cooks up.

[mtraininjax]

While we rebuild Hemming Plaza, has the mayor rebuilt the southbank riverwalk? I mean I am sure that Hemming Plaza has a STRONG number of tourists on a daily basis and the investment will be worth every penny, compared to fixing something that is used daily by residents and tourists. But hey, what do we know? Fix the fountain, but let the boards and riverwalk continue to rot.

Hemming Park is the birthplace of the city's civic life. It should be a great place.

Wow, I did not know the river wound its way through Hemming Plaza, but that is an amazing statement.

[mtraininjax]

I think the key word is "civic" life, rather than economic or political, mtrain.

Stephen, gotcha, I understand, more people visit Hemming Plaza each day, than do the river.  I can't wait to see folks kayak through Hemming Plaza.