Monday, March 2, 2009

City worksession

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting session. Sorry I wasn't there but I coached soccer tonight. For the record JJ I don't own the parking lot behind Bryant's I believe my Grandfather donated it. All hear say so I'm not real sure. So regardless I'm glad our commission is thinking about the kids. Someone should probably tell the police to quit telling the kids to skate at the old skate park though if it is closed. I don't think a lot of them go down there but it is one of the first things they are always told by the police every time they get busted. Interesting story. We were skating in Winfield and a kid at McDonalds told us a cool street spot. We went and skated there for about an hour when a police man approached. He informed us that the lot was private property but he was contacting the owner to see if it was ok for us to be there. The kids told him he didn't have to bother we would move on so we wouldn't take up his time. Everyone left with a smile and a hand shake. Why is that so hard to accomplish here?

Traveler Editor said...

Thanks zach
how far back does your family go here.
when was your grandfather born?

Anonymous said...

Zach, I have an idea. Why not let people donate money to have their names put in the walls of the new skate park, like what they did with the circle park playground, and is done many places. I realize it couldn't be done where the skateboards go, but maybe walls, etc.

Anonymous said...

Great live chat today. Sorry I missed it. The name thing is a great idea. The old skate park should be closed. The fence needs to come down. Its an eye sore an unsafe.

I don't know why the police department can't work with the skaters more. I know at least two police officers skated in high school. While I was working the the skater I had an officer tell me that he would never let his kids go to the skate park because bad things happen down there. I asked him what he was doing to help that. He responded he drove by. I don't know how that helps. I also know that the skaters that work with Zach and the Coalition are not bad kids. They just love a sport.

Anonymous said...

JJ we are in our 87th year of being Bryant's but my great grandfather Llew came here several years before that and worked in the store before eventually buying into it then purchasing it outright. There used to be a large warehouse where the parking lot is now. Part of the conveyer belt is still in my basement that ran to the warehouse. Unfortunately I am not as good in business as the men before me. I do not forsee Bryant's lasting another year (if even a month).

The wall of names idea for the skatepark is a great one. We are also looking into (once organized) making teams with actual corporate sponsors much like soccer and baseball. As we get events lined out the teams would wear shirts that would advertise for the businesses and show that people in the community care.

As for not allowing kids at the old park, I wouldn't have either. The old park was run by drug dealers and bullies for a while. I think that by the end of it they had lost interest and moved on but I remember it being a problem after I got out of high school. This is where all of us need to step up. If you drive past the skate park and see wrong doing then stop and make your pressence felt. These are good kids that are drug free but they won't stay that way (statistically speaking) if they are ignored. Everyone should not only talk to their own kids but take time for their friends and neighbors. I know it is hard to be part of a youth program such as Big Brothers Big Sisters or Soccer or Boy Scouts after working a long day but it really is rewarding. The way you touch some lives may just be the thing that gets them by and helps them become productive members of society. All of this is my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Interesting pic of gunslingers next to headline about city and hospital board on web page. Actually it is funny...fortunately, I saw the paper so understand they aren't related but at first glance on the web page it is a little crazy.

Anonymous said...

I watch the live meeting for all of 15 minutes, because I got tired of refreshing the page just to see what was being said next. Grrr... sometimes my computer gets on my nerves.

Zach, things are going to be hard to accomplish in this town because so many people need to come off their superior high horses. I go to winfield all the time and it seems like a good percentage of the police, the sheriffs and deputies are friendly. You talk to them and they listen. Here in AC, well need I say more.