comments for ypsi-dixit

Comments:

Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 10:03:57
Why did the Mayor not form a Friends of the Parks group analogous to the laudable Friends of the Freighthouse group? Might it be because he did not perceive a problem with the parks before someone with money came along and said they're "underutilized"? Couldn't the Friends of the Parks have raised money through grants, as have the Friends of the Freighthouse? Yes, they could have. But it's too late now, because your opportunity to participate in this matter has been taken away.

If anyone can explain how parks that host the Show 'n Shine Car Festival, the Vintage VW festival, the Orphan Car Show, the Elvisfest, the Brewer's Festival, and Heritage Festival are "underutilized," I'd certainly like to know.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 10:26:12
In all fairness, I want to also post the explanation about the Depot Town Community Development Corporation that I received in an email from Sandee French:

"The DTCDC isn't so mysterious, in fact the development plan is on the DTA website. There will also be a public meeting Sept. 25th to explain our mission and answer questions. The city is cut, cut, cutting their budget and CDC's are set up to be able to access both private and public grant monies that aren't available through the city. The CDC that has been formed has Depot Town's name in front of it but in reality, it will be a separate entity from DT. To form a CDC, it has to be under a 501-(C)-3, which we are, shown fiscal responsibility, which we have, and has been formed for a significant period of time, we just hit our 30 year mark. I'd be happy to talk to you about what we hope to accomplish and those who have already signed onto our advisory and governing boards, but it would take too long to put in writing. Believe me, this is something that will help keep our quality of life from diminishing without costing the city a dime, and NOTHING can be done to change the park in any way without the city's approval."

He is correct: the development plan IS on the DTA website. Read it for yourself here (PDF). Note the table on page 21. Here are the planned expenditures: IFunding by Year
5.4. Milestones
The following table and chart show the specific implementation milestones.
Milestones
Milestone Start Date End Date Budget
Secure City Of Ypsilanti Support 7/11/2007 7/18/2007 $0
Formalize Partnerships (MOU) 7/19/2007 8/1/2007 $0
Secure Architect 9/1/2007 11/30/2007 $25,000
Secure Event Coordinator 12/1/2007 1/30/2008 $62,000
Capital Improvements Funding 7/1/2007 5/30/2008 $0
Secure Corporate Sponsorship 8/1/2007 4/30/2008 $0
Role Out [sic] Marketing 3/1/2008 12/31/2008 $21
Role Out [sic] Events 5/1/2008 12/31/2008 $65,000
Phase 1 Capital Improvements 6/1/2008 12/31/2008 $450,000
Role Out [sic] Events Training 10/1/2008 12/31/2008 $0
Totals $602,021

$62K for an event coordinator? $25,000 for an architect? (An architect?) $65,000 to "role out" events? What does that mean, roll out events? The only new thing I saw in the pdf was kayak and bike rental services. Do that smartly and you sure don't have to spend $65,000. One does wonder about all this money sloshing around. What do kind readers make of it all?
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Ingrid - 2007-09-19 11:40:51
I read through the plan when it first came out. I still can't figure out exactly what the $450,000 in capital improvements will buy.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 12:25:33
There is mention in the plan of an ice skating rink and a "sledding hill," though a sledding hill already exists.

Does it cost half a million dollars to make an ice rink? That can't be right.

Yes, this plan glosses over the actual expenditures to be made. I don't see a breakdown anywhere. There is passing mention of a "fitness trail" too, which I think is very ill-advised and would clutter up the park, and of unspecified changes to the Frog Island amphitheater. Other than that, I don't see where all that cash would go, either.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 12:29:33
And there are no estimates for any of these somewhat vague changes to the parks. Why isn't there a list of projects and the approximate cost of each? The report is way too vague.

If I contracted with a landscape architect to make changes in my backyard, and this was the level of detail I got in return, I wouldn't give him a dime.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 12:37:03
Parts of the plan are not even viable, like the canoe and kayak rental.

You cannot canoe or kayak in Riverside Park--the weekenders who would be more likely to use that service couldn't, anyways. Speaking as someone who's actually boated there, the section of river in Riverside Park is thick with weeds and it is nearly impossible to paddle. It's very frustrating, and would not be fun for weekenders. The section of river behind Frog Island is too shallow in general, as is the whole stretch, especially in August (a third of the summer right there). Off Peninsular Park would be a lot better; in Frog Island/Riverside it's an unworkable idea.

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Ypsidixit yet again - 2007-09-19 13:14:41
And, I don't want to seem just like a wet blanket, but I don't think the suggested activities sound all that novel or interesting. The Winter Fest is a good idea, if you make it big, varied, interesting, and fun, with a few pockets of zaniness. The music series might be OK, though it's not very original. Hockey tournament? Not interesting (to me, anyways). Fitness trail? Just clutter up the serenity of either park and Cantonize them.

What I also don't like is that zero community input was solicited. Ypsi has 25,000 brains with potential ideas. Why did the DTCDC completely disregard this resource? Ypsi Parks and Rec recently offered an online survey asking, in great detail, how people use the parks. Why did the DTCDC fail to do this? All we have are a roster of rather dull events and not-so-hot ideas, Winter Fest excepted (though we don't know any details about that, either).

Besides, it's just plain old smart business to know what your customers want. An inordinate amount of the report is devoted to in-depth analyses of money, earnings, projections, ticket sales. Tables and tables and tables of cash flow projections. If this whole thing is all about making money, wouldn't designing events according to what the people want be smarter business? Fritz and I are DINKS. We are in our 40s, active, love to go to the parks, have discretionary spending money. But I don't see any of it going to any of these events.
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maryd - 2007-09-19 21:11:50
It was scary to read about the hand off. And that they were going to be closed?? if revenue fell?? How would you close these parks? By making them resemble the water street property? Mayor walks in Rec park, I don't hear about that a a cost liability. And again hiring a person to oversee the "event coordinator". Please no rotting sit up benches. I hear the Jaycees have formed a friends of the parks committee that has not yet met... I wonder what they think. They have been very busy volunteering their own event coordination. I suppose we need another person to coordinate them?
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rodneyn - 2007-09-19 21:44:21
This is an anybody but the city management" moment. The City adminiastration has consistently proven itself to be incompetent to manage its way out of a paper bag, much less manae public services like parks and recreation. The private management/public ownership model has worked to the benefit of the residents in the cases of the Senior Center and pool. Why not let Depot Town business leaders manage the Depot Town area parks?
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 22:10:56
Great discussion so far. Maryd: The "closed" business struck me as laughable. Just a scare tactic. Doesn't the city know how much razor wire costs these days? No way could they afford that...There's a big open spot in the Water Street fence, anyways--so i observed the other day. Fences never work.

I have to give the Jaycees respect. If solar energy never proves profitable, if we could harness the energy of the Jaycees we'd be golden.

Maryd, as you know the whole downtown Crossroads music fest this summer was organized by busy local business owners who just put it together themselves...without a $65K event coordinator.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-19 22:18:12
Rodeyn, I see your point. But I see a difference between two small facilities, one serving a limited population, and two immense parks serving all of the city. Also, to my knowledge the senior center and pool groups weren't talking about making major, sweeping changes to the whole nature of the park. This group is. For example, they wish to put a play structure--duplicating those at Prospect Park--right in the park. I think the beauty and glory of Riverside Park is its serene natural state. Kids and parents have a good choice of play structures in Prospect Park. I tihnk Riverside Park should be preserved in its current natural beauty. One park for play structures, one for natural beauty. Isn't that fair? I do not want to see Riverside Park cluttered up with things that detract from its current state of green serenity and lack of visual clutter.
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Poots - 2007-09-19 23:49:24
"I don't want to seem just like a wet blanket" {snorfle!} Well, you're doing an excellent imitation of one, I daresay. Negative in the extreme. I just refound you after your absence and was initially very happy about that, but your near-baseless hectoring is already making me wonder if I want to continue reading you.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-20 00:03:32
I suggest you read the ideas I posted on the front page. I have every right to object to a plan if I don't think it's a good one. But, as with the bus crisis, I also provide what I think are solutions.

If you think my objections are "baseless," I suggest this thought experiment: imagine Ann Arbor turning over control of its park system to a group of local business owners who devise their own bland, boring "programming" without any input from Ann Arborites.

Do you think Ann Arborites would stand for that? Why are we? There is a better way. Perhaps you, like me, have some constructive ideas to contribute. If so, let's hear 'em, baby.
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Kirk - 2007-09-20 08:46:56
I live in the township but when we go out to eat in Depot Town we always take a walk through one or both parks, so here is my two cents worth. The fitness trail idea will be a waste of money and an eyesore. I gardened for years at County Farm and never saw anyone use the one there. Stuff like this is very fundable - you can apply for grants using words like OBESITY EPIDEMIC - but the money could probably be better spent by just encouraging people to come to the park and take a walk. For most people that probably means making it feel safe - well lit at night with other people there. A lot of public money was spent at County Farm to build the children's garden and play area. The garden area is nice, with raised beds, sheds and pergolas made of natural materials, but the plastic-steel-rubber play area is hideous - at least to my adult eyes. I really hope that "improvements" like that will be avoided. The Frog Island music festival was really very cool and would be worth reviving in one form or another. I don't know if they stopped holding it because attendence fell or just because of financial overreach one year. I'm sure the DTCDC doesn't want to make ugly parks or waste money. The thing to do is encourage public input, which you are doing, and get these thoughts and ideas to the DTCDC.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-20 09:06:26
Absolutely. Thank you, Kirk. Yes, every one should contribute their ideas. There are an awful lot of smart and creative people in Ypsilanti.

We saw the kids play structure in County Farm Park last week on a walk there. It puts the UGH! in ugly. It look like a McDonald's franchise crossed with a coral reef. Oh, is it bad. It's very much like Wallace Steven's jar (God, I love that poem).

the money could probably be better spent by just encouraging people to come to the park and take a walk. For most people that probably means making it feel safe - well lit at night with other people there

I think this is a great point. Fritz and I checked out Riverside Park lamps yesterday. The existing ones are very pretty. Their old-fashioned style suits the park well, and is elegant. But there are some missing, and I don't think they light up at night.

Fritz and I have a solar LCD lantern at home. It sits outside during the day and goes on automatically when it gets dark. One charge of its li-cad battery, even on a cloudy day, is enough to keep that thing lit ALL NIGHT. I can read by it. Ann Arbor is also using LCD lights on some test streets downtown. Using LCD solar lighting, which, if you look in Home Depot, is absurdly common in landscape lighting these days, might be something to consider to save money. It wouldn't need electricity at all. I bet Dave Strenski could use existing lamp structures and retrofit them with the cheap, reliable solar-powered li-cad LCD unit that is in our solar lantern.
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Jim Karnopp - 2007-09-20 13:05:42
I don't think we should get too concerned about this yet. The announcement just came out, and the plans listed on the website are really more brainstorming than actual plans. I received an email yesterday from the DTCDC stating that they are going to be having a public meeting. Here is a copy of the note:

As I'm sure you read in the paper today, Ypsilanti's City Council unanimously approved moving forward with the Depot Town Community Development Corporation. A Memorandum of Understanding between the two groups was discussed and adopted, although there are still some items that will need to be worked out.

The DTCDC is inviting the public for a power point presentation regarding the DTCDC will function, their responsibilities, and what the effect on our community will be. Following the presentation, there will be time for questions and answers.

The meeting will be held in City Council Chambers at 1 S. Huron at 7:00 on September 25th. Please invite anyone you think may be interested in finding out the why, what, when and how of the DTCDC. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

My personal feelings are that this could be a very good thing. If the community is involved in the decision making this group could very well get things done that benefit everyone. I know the Jaycees have been working with the members of the DTCDC on a number of projects, and I am sure they will be heavily involved with this one.

I had a conversation with the Downtown Development Authority last year, and one of my comments was that I believe the park could be a key to revitalizing the downtown business district. Riverside directly connects Depot Town to Downtown, and the more we can do to attract people to the park, the more we can attract people to go to our local businesses.

I would love to see the festival of lights come back to riverside. I would really like to see horse drawn carriage rides and events that utilize the park without detracting from its natural beauty. I don't think a playground would be good. I do remember when there was play equipment near the sledding hill, so it has been there before, but one of these modern play structures wouldn't fit. There may be other ways of creating an entertainment area for children that would add to the park though.

The DTCDC is made up primarily of business owners and property owners in the area, so their goals are to encourage people to use the parks and build up more business for the area. If they do something the community doesn't like, that goal wont be met. I think the best thing is to attend the meetings, get involved, and make sure that the parks are used the way we want them to be. I am pretty DTCDC will take any help and advice they can get.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-20 13:14:50
I think that is the voice of reason.

I don't see any thing explicit in the PR about soliciting ideas from the community, however. But perhaps I should--just for a refreshing change of pace--suspend judgement. Thank you for the meeting info, Jim!
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Lisele - 2007-09-20 13:22:55

C'mon Kirk. I'm sure I saw somebody use the County Farm Park fitness trail at least once. Maybe. -- I agree it is SURE to be an eyesore.

It look like a McDonald's franchise crossed with a coral reef. This is a surprisingly accurate description. Gods forbid something like this should be installed to junk up our parks.

I must also agree that canoeing in the Huron (as it is now) would be impossible, as it's roughly knee high ...on my dog. However, I would love to be able to canoe thru this section of the river. Perhaps the plan is to dredge and deepen this section. I'm sure this would be ecologically incorrect and thus I should oppose it, but I'd really love to be able to canoe here!!!

Lastly, a winter festival is an exceptional idea. There is a great one on the Canada side of the Sault called Bon Soo -- organizers should check it out. Snow shoeing, dog sled rides, "sno-pitch", outdoor concerts, sculpture, polar bear swim ...these Canadians are hardy!!!
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Lisele - 2007-09-20 13:24:34
Oh, yeah, the link: http://www.bonsoo.on.ca/
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Jim Karnopp - 2007-09-20 13:43:10
As a business owner, I am in favor of anything that will increase traffic in the park in the winter. My business suffers quite a bit during the winter months, so if there were groups of people skating in the park, I am sure my coffee and hot chocolate sales would increase. I also think it would really be cool. I have a pair of ice skates at home that I havent used in years, so I would love to go to a skating rink right by my store.
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BrianR - 2007-09-20 14:28:19
Nothing can be done without City Council approval. Despite what the Ann Arbor News headlines read, we didn't give up the parks to private interests.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-20 14:29:39
it's roughly knee high ...on my dog. [**schnork!**] A winter festival is a fantastic idea by the DTCDC. Bon Soo sure sounds like fun. In Riverside Park, a similar fest could be SO much fun. Skating, as Jim says (Y. is a truly lousy skater, but I'll try), a polar cookout, snow-sculpture or ice-sculpture, games, races, contests, snow art painted with squeeze bottles of food coloring, the dreaded Polar Dip to find out who's the manliest man in Washtenaw County, et cetera. And a parade in there somewhere; I love parades.

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Not that anyone cares... - 2007-09-20 14:52:38

...but some of the exer-stations in County Farm Park were "cheaties."

I mean, instead of some wooden rack that looks like an relic of the Inquisition upon which you're supposed to extend your foot backwards behind your ear while bending sideways, flexing your elbow, and clenching your left eye closed (repeat ten times) all they had was a pad. Just a little pad of gravel. No wooden rack, or rotted sit-up bench or mysterious hanging metal ring. Just the gravel pad, with a sign telling you how to do something on the pad. (You are not allowed to do a different exercise on the pad!) And there was more than one empty gravel pad. On each one, you had to do the specific exercise on the sign, and no other. (Primly) That's the rule.

For whatever reason, this amused F. and I to no end. Poking fun at the blank gravel pads was one of the highlights of our visit to the park.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-20 14:53:04

BrianR: that is good to know. If you're part of the team (council) overseeing the park changes, that is reassuring.

(whispers): Oh-nay ay-play ucture-stray.
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Ingrid - 2007-09-20 18:46:01
I wonder if BrianR knows what the $450,000 in capital improvements might buy.
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maryd - 2007-09-20 20:23:17
I too miss the Frog Island Jazz Fest. It was great to have this in our neighborhood. I would love a blue grass music festival as well as a big follower of Mountain Stage. It is a bit of relief that the A2 News may have portrayed this story a bit wrong. I do resent the scare tactics that the article refers to but I do not oppose the DTCDC, but with such big budget plans have they thought of reopening our freighthouse?
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BrianR - 2007-09-21 14:40:02
The capital improvements are remnants of an obsolete Parks Master plan that called for an ampitheatre in Frog Island Park and a large pavillion in Riverside Park. You can find more details looking at the site plans.
Riverside

Frog Island
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Rodneyn - 2007-09-23 20:40:41
As a parent, I wouldn't mind seeing a play structure built in Riverside Park so parents of young children can also enjoy the "green serenity" of the park. As for a fitness traIl, that is an idea whose time has come and gone. I enjoyed and used the trail in North Bay Park until maintenance issues eliminated some of the stations. Such a trail requires constant maintenance and replacement of worn and damaged stations (and updating of stations to keep it fresh). Without that, don't bother building it.
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Rodneyn - 2007-09-23 20:40:05
As a parent, I wouldn't mind seeing a play structure built in Riverside Park so parents of young children can also enjoy the "green serenity" of the park. As for a fitness traIl, that is an idea whose time has come and gone. I enjoyed and used the trail in North Bay Park until maintenance issues eliminated some of the stations. Such a trail requires constant maintenance and replacement of worn and damaged stations (and updating of stations to keep it fresh). Without that, don't bother building it.
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