Major Hemming Park overhaul to include restaurant, bar and new stage

[whyisjohngalt]

Wow! If Jerry Moran still follows this stuff, I bet he is feeling pretty good....everything he has been condemned for saying over the years is apparent to all. Finally, the rose colored glasses are off and everyone can see the Emperor's New Suit has been an illusion all along. Maybe now we can actually get something accomplished down here instead of just creating festivals, smoke and mirrors. Jerry, are you out there?   

What did Jerry say?

The goals for Hemming Plaza would be better served spending the money to relocate the feeding facilities to Philips Hwy.
I

[Adam White]

Wow! If Jerry Moran still follows this stuff, I bet he is feeling pretty good....everything he has been condemned for saying over the years is apparent to all. Finally, the rose colored glasses are off and everyone can see the Emperor's New Suit has been an illusion all along. Maybe now we can actually get something accomplished down here instead of just creating festivals, smoke and mirrors. Jerry, are you out there?   

What did Jerry say?

Something really racist and/or classist.

[whyisjohngalt]

What did Jerry say?

Something really racist and/or classist.

Is that a joke?

We have two sides to the issue.  On one side, the voice for the homeless and on the other, the voice wanting a neat park to do stuff in downtown.  One side is a voice for the less fortunate and the other is self interest driven.

Before the Hemming Plaza group, there was only a few voices saying - let's do something about this homeless situation and there is potential in this park.  One voice was Jerry Moran's.

Now that the Friends of Hemming Plaza has shown the potential the space has - although unsustainably - more people are saying the same thing that Jerry said.  And it's much more popular now.

Are you saying that more people are suddenly racist and / or classists for wanting the population addressed?  Half of these posts about improving downtown would benefit from this issue being addressed.

Your opinion might be the same as his if you had the same experience that he has with the population or had a direct interest in getting the issue resolved.  Then some faceless punk would perpetually be name calling you for having an unpopular opinion.

[Adam White]

What did Jerry say?

Something really racist and/or classist.

Is that a joke?

We have two sides to the issue.  On one side, the voice for the homeless and on the other, the voice wanting a neat park to do stuff in downtown.  One side is a voice for the less fortunate and the other is self interest driven.

Before the Hemming Plaza group, there was only a few voices saying - let's do something about this homeless situation and there is potential in this park.  One voice was Jerry Moran's.

Now that the Friends of Hemming Plaza has shown the potential the space has - although unsustainably - more people are saying the same thing that Jerry said.  And it's much more popular now.

Are you saying that more people are suddenly racist and / or classists for wanting the population addressed?  Half of these posts about improving downtown would benefit from this issue being addressed.

Your opinion might be the same as his if you had the same experience that he has with the population or had a direct interest in getting the issue resolved.  Then some faceless punk would perpetually be name calling you for having an unpopular opinion.

Not a joke - a reference to the videos Jerry used to post online. And the commentary. He has said some very racist things in the past - regardless of his motivations.

[ssky]

I don't recall Jerry being either racist or classist; however, I clearly remember his growing frustration as his calls to action were repeatedly ignored on the basis of being prejudicial and lacking in empathy. He tried reasoning and logic; he presented cohesive proposals based upon his experiences as a downtown business owner; he served on countless committees and sub-committees created, for the most part, by self-proclaimed urban experts who spent their days in secure office buildings and their evenings in safe suburban homes while he put his own neck on the line night after night dealing with issues that threatened his restaurant, his customers and his employees.

Over the span of more-than-a-decade of little-to-no change and constant ridicule he became increasingly tired and disillusioned until, at least it seems, he withdrew from the cause.  From what I, a longtime customer and friend of La Cena, have seen lately, Jerry is now focused solely on providing comfort and safety for his patrons and associates and delivering the culinary excellence he has been known for since 1983. I sincerely hope that these new voices for downtown improvement find a way to accomplish the goals Jerry began fighting for 15 years ago. I am sure he is rooting for you from his little kitchen on North Laura Street!

[Adam White]

I don't recall Jerry being either racist or classist; however, I clearly remember his growing frustration as his calls to action were repeatedly ignored on the basis of being prejudicial and lacking in empathy. He tried reasoning and logic; he presented cohesive proposals based upon his experiences as a downtown business owner; he served on countless committees and sub-committees created, for the most part, by self-proclaimed urban experts who spent their days in secure office buildings and their evenings in safe suburban homes while he put his own neck on the line night after night dealing with issues that threatened his restaurant, his customers and his employees.

Over the span of more-than-a-decade of little-to-no change and constant ridicule he became increasingly tired and disillusioned until, at least it seems, he withdrew from the cause.  From what I, a longtime customer and friend of La Cena, have seen lately, Jerry is now focused solely on providing comfort and safety for his patrons and associates and delivering the culinary excellence he has been known for since 1983. I sincerely hope that these new voices for downtown improvement find a way to accomplish the goals Jerry began fighting for 15 years ago. I am sure he is rooting for you from his little kitchen on North Laura Street!

First of all, I never said Jerry was a racist or classist. I said he says stuff that is racist and classist - and I even said that I don't know what his motivations are. I don't like the way he treats human beings. That's the extent of it. I don't think there's any excuse for acting that way.

As far as your "suburban homes" comment. You don't know me and I don't know you. I'll leave it at that.

[Tacachale]

It's one thing to note that the homeless population downtown can be disruptive. It's another to think that the problem can be "solved" by just somehow chasing them out or making the park less attractive to humans. If Downtown Jacksonville pulled this off, it would be the first downtown in history to do so.

There are probably some things that could be done to curb some of the problematic behaviors associated with this population. Stronger police presence and cracking down on panhandling would be one. But the only real progress we've seen yet has been not in driving out the homeless, but in making the area more attractive to other people. No one cares about the homeless when it's Art Walk or One Spark.

[whyisjohngalt]

I don't recall Jerry being either racist or classist; however, I clearly remember his growing frustration as his calls to action were repeatedly ignored on the basis of being prejudicial and lacking in empathy. He tried reasoning and logic; he presented cohesive proposals based upon his experiences as a downtown business owner; he served on countless committees and sub-committees created, for the most part, by self-proclaimed urban experts who spent their days in secure office buildings and their evenings in safe suburban homes while he put his own neck on the line night after night dealing with issues that threatened his restaurant, his customers and his employees.

Over the span of more-than-a-decade of little-to-no change and constant ridicule he became increasingly tired and disillusioned until, at least it seems, he withdrew from the cause.  From what I, a longtime customer and friend of La Cena, have seen lately, Jerry is now focused solely on providing comfort and safety for his patrons and associates and delivering the culinary excellence he has been known for since 1983. I sincerely hope that these new voices for downtown improvement find a way to accomplish the goals Jerry began fighting for 15 years ago. I am sure he is rooting for you from his little kitchen on North Laura Street!

It's a shame to hear he was discouraged.  Looks like he's a man of action and perhaps if he was supported then we would be in a better place now.  Perpetual discourse doesn't seem to accomplish the actions needed for real change.