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

[thelakelander]

Perhaps it be cheaper to keep the park "as is" and pay people $10 a day to spend either their breakfast, lunch break or happy hour in the park?  You'll immediately attract a diverse crowd and you're annual maintenance costs will remain the same.  When someone drives by, the place would look like NYC's Rockefeller Plaza.  Where can I sign up?  Give me $10 bucks and I'll by a lunch from a nearby restaurant and eat it in the park.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Perhaps it be cheaper to keep the park "as is" and pay people $10 a day to spend either their breakfast, lunch break or happy hour in the park?  You'll immediately attract a diverse crowd and you're annual maintenance costs will remain the same.  When someone drives by, the place would look like NYC's Rockefeller Plaza.  Where can I sign up?  Give me $10 bucks and I'll by a lunch from a nearby restaurant and eat it in the park.

Subway's across the street.  You could even give the extra $2.39 to the nearest Occupier.   

[ronchamblin]

So …. at least the park visitor will have benches and flowers.  But what is more beautiful than a tree?  Few things in nature are.  Are we to be without the shade of a tree…. in the hot sun, in amongst the concrete of the city core?  Come.... you fools who designed their removal, stand in the sun.  And you ….  fools who approved this stupidity…….. sit an hour in the hot sun.  But no… you will sit in your air-conditioned office as the park visitor bakes in the sun, and longs for the beauty and comfort of the trees.  A tree casts its shade upon all.... the young child with the fair skin, the old man with burnt baldness, the fair woman, and even the fools who would have them removed. 

[strider]

Perhaps it be cheaper to keep the park "as is" and pay people $10 a day to spend either their breakfast, lunch break or happy hour in the park?  You'll immediately attract a diverse crowd and you're annual maintenance costs will remain the same.  When someone drives by, the place would look like NYC's Rockefeller Plaza.  Where can I sign up?  Give me $10 bucks and I'll by a lunch from a nearby restaurant and eat it in the park.

A thousand a day the first year, 500.00  a day the second year and 250.00 a day the third year.  Want bet it won't be needed by the end of the second year? And it will only be $ 638,750.00 total! Cheaper than the current proposal. 

[wsansewjs]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I think we caught the people in charge of this rubbish, RED-HANDED.

Now, we just simply need to put them on the hot seat and pressure them to revise their decisions. We ARE NOT going to let them get away from this. We already have too many times in the past in different places.

-Josh

[Ocklawaha]

Hemming Park, Jacksonville, had trees since it's days as a military base in 1864.

But ah, hell! Who needs a little history eh?

[BridgeTroll]

A lookout tower would be pretty cool too!

[JeffreyS]

A lookout tower would be pretty cool too!
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Just like the OP mall.

[urbaknight]

Is there any opposition movements planned?

Can we hold them accountable and force them to listen to those who took the survey?

Can we force the council to pick a new committie and start over?

[tufsu1]

there is plenty of opposition...even among council members

[ronchamblin]

There is time, and two events, to make our opinions and opposition known to the city council.  The first is the city council meeting this coming Tuesday at 6:00 p. m.  During the "public comment" time, anyone can have 3 minutes to offer their opinion about any subject.  One must fill out a card and turn it in to be called to speak.  The second event is the Hemming Park meeting at city hall on the 18th of April at 10:00 a.m.


I cannot speak worth a damn.  So if any of you desires to speak, it would be great if about three of you could speak on this Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.  By that time, we could arrive at a concise and effective delivery for each of the three speakers.  The critical issues would be the  avoidance of complete tree removal, the avoidance of complete table/chair removal,  and the avoidance of temporary tables.  We could point out that the recent survey held by DVI gave weight to these opinions.  We could ask... why are we going against the results of the survey?

We could also offer the idea that we should enhance the park's amenities, and not remove them.  And that with the proper programming, the park could be brought to a level of optimum condition for all visitors. 

The Hemming Park meeting held at city hall in the Davis room on the first floor has had in the past about 25 people.  Wouldn't it be great to overwhelm the meeting with about 30 or so additional attendees, all giving opinion similar to the above.  All attending will be given a chance to speak if they wish.

In other words, we have two important opportunities to kill the ridiculous plans for the park, and to have them replaced with sensible ideas for progressive and positive consequences instead of the current moves which will tend to destroy the beauty and utility of the park.