Hemming Plaza Needs Us to Pack the House!

[Ocklawaha]

Visioning for Hemming Plaza is almost complete.

According to channel 4 news tonight, this meeting is going to be the 'final nail in the coffin' of anyone having fun in Hemming Plaza. Hell, where's the ACLU when we need them? The plan appears to continue to be removal of all benches and tables, AND MAKING GAME PLAYING ILLEGAL!

Note to visitors, Come to Jacksonville, but DON'T try and go fishing, don't touch the water, don't throw a net, don't carry a pole or tackle box. Don't come to Jacksonville with checkers, with cards, with marbles, or God Forbid, Monopoly. There will be no skate boards, no roller blades, no roller skates, no pogo sticks, no unicycles and no bicycles. Do not sit on the concrete, not on the retaining walls, not on a box, not with a fox, not in a house, not with a mouse, do not sit here or there, do not sit anywhere! We do not want you unemployed man, we do not like your dreadful tan. And while your at it, wipe that damn stupid smile off of your face, this is a city and we're serious!


Council Member Public Meeting - Hemming Plaza
October 23, 2012

3:30 p.m.
City Hall

117 W. Duval St., Suite 425
Conference Room B

Notice is hereby given that the Council Member E. Denise Lee, Council Member Bill Gulliford and Council Member Don Redman are calling at meeting on Tuesday October 23 at 3:30 p.m. in City Council Conference Room B on the 4th floor, Suite 425 of City Hall at 117 West Duval Street. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed Hemming Plaza ordinance that would restrict card games in the park as well as authorize the removal of benches, tables and chairs, diseased trees and spending CIP dollars to repair planters and flower beds. All interested parties are welcome to attend.

[peestandingup]

I agree. This needs national attention, and quite frankly, should bring embarrassment to the town. Banning games? Telling people they can't sit down in a park?? I've never even heard of something like that.

[thelakelander]

This is something the new DIA should be able to weigh on before a decision is made.  I was stopped by a DIA board member today and that member expressed his concerns and asked that we attend this meeting.

[ronchamblin]

Hemming Park is a dynamic thing.  It is alive with people.  Some want to remove the life.  The current population occupying the park is a reflection of reality. They remind us every day of the societal and economic predicament into which we've all fallen.  They remind us with honesty, not by their intention to honesty, but by their very existence. 

To remove them, to sterilize the park, would be an unfortunate thing.  By their presence, action toward real change in their predicaments can eventually occur.  In the end, most of us prefer honesty and the truth of a situation.     

[Debbie Thompson]

Darn.  I know they can't hold these meetings at night, but so many of us simply can't make meetings during working hours. 

[Jax_Spartan]

I agree it is too bad they are removing the benches and banning games. Definitely a lot less attractive.  The one positive thing out of this, is maybe it will prevent all the homeless people from congregating there as they do every day. Its not like I would even have a seat available at hemming plaza during the day, unless I wanted to ask a homeless person to wake up or sit between homeless people.

[Josh]

Ron looks a little different than he usually does in this video 

http://www.news4jax.com/news/No-more-games-in-Hemming-Plaza/-/475880/17043746/-/awtfa8/-/index.html

[Bativac]

I agree it is too bad they are removing the benches and banning games. Definitely a lot less attractive.  The one positive thing out of this, is maybe it will prevent all the homeless people from congregating there as they do every day. Its not like I would even have a seat available at hemming plaza during the day, unless I wanted to ask a homeless person to wake up or sit between homeless people.

I have seen homeless people sleeping on bridge piers and snuggled up on the paved sidewalk next to brick walls. Do we really think benches or chairs not being available is going to deter the homeless, already accustomed to going without comfort? The only people that will be deterred are the visitors to Hemming Plaza who might want to linger but, instead, are directed to hurry about their business and get out. Homeless people will find a sheet of cardboard or an old blanket and make do.

Basically, the plan is to turn Hemming Plaza into a glorified vacant lot. Like the rest of downtown.

[Noone]

This is something the new DIA should be able to weigh on before a decision is made.  I was stopped by a DIA board member today and that member expressed his concerns and asked that we attend this meeting.

Who was the DIA board member? Let's just hope that they don't want to remain anonymous.

This is a joke.

May I suggest that everyone bring their own chairs. We can play musical chairs. Practice for the real thing. If the Metro-Jetro crowd turns out for this subcommittee meeting they are going to need a bigger room.

May I also suggest everyone look up 2012-202.

DIA -Downtown Inspires Action!

Hey! On a side note. Anyone want to Make a scene Downtown on our Waterway? Shoot me a PM. Just 7 or 8 hours out. If it turns out to be a solo then no problem. I'll make it a tactical urban epoch kayaking paddle.

I am Downtown and why you aren't.

[thelakelander]

I agree it is too bad they are removing the benches and banning games. Definitely a lot less attractive.  The one positive thing out of this, is maybe it will prevent all the homeless people from congregating there as they do every day. Its not like I would even have a seat available at hemming plaza during the day, unless I wanted to ask a homeless person to wake up or sit between homeless people.

If your goal is to prevent the homeless from enjoying a public park, moving benches isn't going to achieve that goal.  Especially a park loaded with retaining walls.  What it will do is waste public money and result in a space that is less attractive to the people this committee would like to see frequent the space more.  If someone's focus is more on homeless than finding easy and affordable options to generate more activity within the space, then they should be helping the mayor with the day center project moreso than sitting on the park committee.

[Ocklawaha]

I agree it is too bad they are removing the benches and banning games. Definitely a lot less attractive.  The one positive thing out of this, is maybe it will prevent all the homeless people from congregating there as they do every day. Its not like I would even have a seat available at hemming plaza during the day, unless I wanted to ask a homeless person to wake up or sit between homeless people.

So homeless people use the park? The key word is 'PEOPLE,' people use the park. If we make the park less inviting to PEOPLE, it will be less inviting to ALL PEOPLE. Who is going to check the ID'S and what will the bar be in order to 'achieve' acceptable admission?

Here's a possible check list:

____ Owns their own transportation
____ Dressed in a suit or dress
____ Income above $10,000 per year
____ Income above $30,000 per year
____ Income above $75,000 per year
____ Bathes at least weekly
____ Bathes at least daily
____ Drinks
____ Smokes
____ Chews
____ Smells like 'Old Spice'
____ Smells like 'Old Socks'
____ Knows how many bubbles are in a bar of soap

____ FINAL SCORE - at least 4 positive check marks for entry - we get to choose which ones are 'positive.'

[Jumpinjack]

I've been surprised that our lmayor and council have not  taken into account one basic reasons that Hemming Park has become a hang-out place for people to play games and sleep on benches. It is now surrounded with government buildings instead of vibrant retail.

Small  retail shops, classy department stores, upscale restaurants have all been replaced. The reasons for coming downtown now are limited to working in or doing business in city offices, courthouses, or public libraries. Brave souls like  Ron are  there and working hard to make a difference. There are a couple of lunchtime and fast food restaurants, and a jewelery store but nothing that says "Come, Shop, Spend"  Get Ennis' book and read about how wonderful Cohen Brothers was, what a magnet for business. There were lots of great places like that and Hemming Park was crowded with shoppers, business people, children going to school or shopping with parents on weekends. It was the center of Jacksonville.

You know, it could be again if we put our money and energy into the right things instead of city run day care centers.

[duvaldude08]

I was chattin with a co worker who is from Chicago, and I was asking him how they handle their homeless situation. One thing he mentioned about the homeless. and I did also, is that they are scared of large crowds of people. You still haev a bold few that stick around, but when there are large crowds of people, the  homeless hide. He even agreed if there were more people downtown, hemming plaza spefically, you would naturally see less homeless. Our homeless is not the problem (in a sense). Its the lack of people and activity is the problem.

[thelakelander]

Its the lack of people and activity is the problem.

Yes.  Hemming Plaza's perceived problems can easily be resolved by programming activities in and around the space.

[avonjax]

I've been surprised that our lmayor and council have not  taken into account one basic reasons that Hemming Park has become a hang-out place for people to play games and sleep on benches. It is now surrounded with government buildings instead of vibrant retail.

Small  retail shops, classy department stores, upscale restaurants have all been replaced. The reasons for coming downtown now are limited to working in or doing business in city offices, courthouses, or public libraries. Brave souls like  Ron are  there and working hard to make a difference. There are a couple of lunchtime and fast food restaurants, and a jewelery store but nothing that says "Come, Shop, Spend"  Get Ennis' book and read about how wonderful Cohen Brothers was, what a magnet for business. There were lots of great places like that and Hemming Park was crowded with shoppers, business people, children going to school or shopping with parents on weekends. It was the center of Jacksonville.

You know, it could be again if we put our money and energy into the right things instead of city run day care centers.

When I worked downtown in the late 60's and mid 80's there was not a problem with Hemming Plaza. There were large numbers of working people, shoppers - especially those entering and  leaving May Cohens into and from the park - and people waiting for the bus. So Jumpin Jack you are absolutely correct. We need to draw people downtown and create that kind of synergy. Removing more benches and chairs and banning games is not the answer. This is beyond stupid. Will we survive the jokers who are poorly running this city? A 12 year old would have better ideas.