Parks and Rec wants public input on projects / LJWorld.com

Archive for Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department held a public forum Monday focusing on improvements to sports facilities.

October 27, 2009

The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department kicked off a series of public forums Monday night to discuss current and future projects.

Ernie Shaw, the interim director of the department, said Monday’s meeting was the first of three to gather public input on facility needs.

Held at Lawrence High School, the forum began with a presentation about what the Parks and Rec staff seeks to improve in Lawrence. The presentation mainly focused on the need for more youth sports facilities, a wellness center, and more development of neighborhood parks and trails.

“We kind of know as a staff where we need some large facilities,” Shaw said. “But we want to hear from the public, too, and make sure that their radar and our radars are connected.”

Another problem is the absence of a recreational center in northwest Lawrence — an important issue as the city continues to grow in that area.

“You show a 2-mile radius around the current (recreational) centers and the way the city has grown,” Shaw said, “we need a center someplace out in the west, north, northwest. … There’s a lot of population and a lot of people, and there’s really not an indoor facility for them.”

The Parks and Recreation department has two more forums planned. The next will be Nov. 5 at Free State High School, and the final one will be Nov. 10 at the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St.

Discussion

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27 October 2009
at 6:32 a.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

interesting the west Lawrence area, created to be carcentric have a problem using their cars to drive to the gyms so the city has to add to all our tax bills one more dumb growth expense. let's not forget that parking is a requirement to all this. if they are driving anyway what difference does it make if it is on the west side?

funny thing about PLAY is when they polled what people wanted in Lawrence a skating rink was at the top of the list. its a joke to pretend that parks and rec are listening to anyone other than their west Lawrence masters who dictate that team sports needs is what all of us will be paying for. funny how the vast majority of sporting outlets are already on the west side and it still isn't enough. also interesting that there are big donors to be found but they are never tapped until the taxpayers pick up the major infrastructure costs. who are the real panhandlers in this town?
27 October 2009
at 6:50 a.m.

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lawrencechick (Anonymous) says…

Jack- it's “funny” how the nicest rec center in town is in East Lawrence
27 October 2009
at 7:02 a.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

is that simply because it is new? it is the token so the red herring is there and some how we should over look all that the west side already has and now add new sports facilities? and if the west side needs so much parking for their facilities does it matter where it is built if they are going to drive anyway?
27 October 2009
at 8:56 a.m.

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SettingTheRecordStraight (Anonymous) says…

“The presentation mainly focused on the need for more youth sports facilities, a wellness center…”

More, more, more. It's always more.

I have no investments in local health clubs, but I can only imagine how this taxpayer-funded competition with private industry would hit local businesses. Unnecessary government growth does not happen in a vacuum. It always hurts somebody.
27 October 2009
at 10:58 a.m.

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Keith (Anonymous) says…

If there is a need for more sports facilities in the west, won't some enterprising private business fill the need? We don't want to have government competing with small business now do we? That would be un-American.
27 October 2009
at 12:08 p.m.

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JOEHAWK (Anonymous) says…

other than fitness centers, there is no profit in sports facilities. Sport 2 sport failed. Without taxpayer assistance, there is no way it would work to have facilities for baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc.
27 October 2009
at 1:05 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

Oh boo hoo joe, tell me where sports entitlements are guaranteed or more precisely certain sports that are entitled to unlimited spending. This town is amazing and so lacking in imagination. Where are the donors??? Where is the support from all the bankers and developers pushing all this stuff? Why do they keep panhandling the city?

I thought sports were suppose to make boys into men but we live a city afraid of it's own shadow. Parents taking on the crime fears of the big cities to justify complete control of their kids lives by driving them everywhere, defining when and where play will happen, and essentially creating boys that are like girls. When not playing sports they are at the mall consuming. All this is about consuming. Can't just go play in a field using their imagination for where the bases and lines are no we have to have the proper corporate names attached too. Where are the corporate sponsors when it comes to building these selective sports facilities? Why can't people push away from the plate and be satisfied with all they have already panhandled from the city and the taxpayers. How in the world can people go on about the scary panhandlers downtown who have nothing and yet while they drive their big suvs and live in the mcmansions keep pushing for all of us to provide more for the west side crowd that have already left this city hurting!

27 October 2009
at 1:06 p.m.

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SettingTheRecordStraight (Anonymous) says…

joehawk,

Then we shouldn't have the facilities. For one, I'm tired of paying taxes for the <1% of Lawrence residents who participate in Lawrence Parks and Rec kickball leagues.

I wish I were joking that our tax dollars are being used to fund kickball leagues, but sadly I'm not. Parks and Rec is also taxing and spending on softball leagues, pottery classes and a bankrupt city golf course.
27 October 2009
at 1:11 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

And before the nut crew gets here and tells us sports are the only thing that develops a healthy kid, please name one study that says definitively that team sports and only team sports is the only thing keeping kids out of trouble. Doesn't look like ku is setting any examples of that this year. It is bull for parents who neglect their kids and have guilty conscious. Spend other people's money to make yourself feel better for partitioning your kids somewhere else in the house and not providing an opportunity to use their imagination. Funny how so many of those mcmansions have big yards but for the most part never used. Just think, if the development community had built smaller houses on smaller lots there would have been opportunities to use space for kids to play, instead all we have are a bunch of over chemical-ed lawns that I'm sure the neurotic parents keep their kids off of also.
27 October 2009
at 1:17 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

Ah yes, the golf course over on the west side, what are they lacking? But still not enough. East Lawrence got one small building and they are suppose to be quiet now, the hog is at the trough again.

I still get teary eyed when I think of the story that started all this, the origins of PLAY when banker Bonnie told the sad, sad, story of having to take her kids to Topeka, Topeka of all places(!), to play the elite soccer they had to play. We as taxpayers aren't doing enough for those who have it all and need to give more. Personally I prefer the panhandlers on the street, at least they are more honest than the crew that runs this town. Of course there are no donor dollars in town, we'll just ignore the gold plated fhs stadium. Oh I long back to nobler days when people who benefited the most also actually gave something back instead of trying to get more through the government which they claim to deplore.
27 October 2009
at 1:36 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

And when I say give something back I don't mean the token seats on this charity or organization or that. Oh we are so fortunate to have these worthy people sitting on the boards to be sure things go their way but where is their pocketbook?
27 October 2009
at 2:11 p.m.

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flyin_squirrel (Anonymous) says…

Guess we all know who (JackRipper) couldn't make any of his high schools varsity teams….

Don't let the anger bring you down Jack. It is alright to go to the library and read a book (the same library everyone was against expanding so you might want to go to Topeka).

Or maybe instead of sports you could take a nice walk downtown (to avoid the panhandlers you might want to drive to the Legends for a nicer experience).

Lawrence, as great as you think!
27 October 2009
at 2:34 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

good ol flyin squirrel demonstrates what we really get from team sports, the pathetic belief that sports are significant enough to be great milestones in otherwise pathetic lives. flyin not only do i fund all my athletic pursuits but also my books. the west side moochers just don't get it.
27 October 2009
at 4:12 p.m.

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BigAl (Anonymous) says…

Give it up Jack…JackRipper (Anonymous) says…
“This town is amazing and so lacking in imagination. Where are the donors??? Where is the support from all the bankers and developers pushing all this stuff? Why do they keep panhandling the city? ”

I believe the Fritzels (developers and donors) picked up the tab for the Free State locker rooms. You even whined and cried then.

You whine when people donate and you whine when they don't. You just simply don't want ANY improvements.

Jack needs to go. He is a terrible drain on society.
27 October 2009
at 4:23 p.m.

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Seamus (Anonymous) says…

Squirrel— as yes, the old canard about people who “must've not made the team and are just jealous.” Newsflash: not everyone cares about sports and we didn't arrange our lives around be Johnny Football Star. And, sports are the real drain on society. Why did Lawrence “need” two football stadiums? Weren't there other more pressing uses for that kind of money? And who cares if the Fritzells donated money? How much money have they made off of dumb growth over the years?

27 October 2009
at 5:56 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

Thanks bigal for demonstrating the other dangers of team sports that emphasis head butting. Yes, it is a sad case when the brain is damage so much that simple concepts are too difficult to understand. I'm a drain? The person not asking for others to pay for my sports and entertainment? Yep, too many head butts. Donate money? How did that help the taxpayer to come in after all the expenses were dumped on the tax payer and then the private citizen is allowed to come in afterwards and gold plate stuff with self tributes. This is public property, if there are going to be donors they need to pony up what they feel generous enough to contribute and use it so it cuts what is taken from the tax payer. Now, thanks to this donation, the expensive project that was suppose to make things fair, now begins the next round of I wants.
27 October 2009
at 6:39 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

And let's face it, parks and rec isn't interested in hearing what anyone has to say, they already know what they want. When the survey was taken at the beginning of all this madness a skating rink was at the top. Sure not seeing that on the list. If any of these people and politicians cared what the people want they would look at these boards and consider what is said, it may not be pretty but at least it is closer to the truth then they'll hear at the meetings with lots of smiles and back slapping.
27 October 2009
at 10:31 p.m.

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justlearn (Anonymous) says…

Wow. What an idiot. I'm tired of hearing Jack over running at the mouth. If you do not want the community to grow, that is fine. Just state that and shut up. Otherwise just shut up.
First of all, building rec centers tend to build the community and attract businesses. It helps us stay in the healthiest city categories. Believe it or not, athletics and other healthy activities keep us in better health.
I understand you are unhappy about the need for a new rec center in West Lawrence, and you do not think people make a big enough “donation” to the city. Do I need to remind you all of us pay sales tax to pay for the T. And yes all of the routes tend to stay in the east part of the city so the people in west Lawrence do need to drive their vehicles to the facilities.
As toward the rants of the athletic facilities and schools in west Lawrence. Lawrence was built around the community. People in neighborhood support their own schools and donate or invest in what their children, grandchildren, or if they had personal interest in the schools and activities. And yes we all pay taxes so it is equal if you have someone in the community put forth their own money toward something, you should earn the money or find someone in the other side of the community to invest in their schools. Or is this where you say it's not fair you make more money because you live in the west. I think if you use your head and make the best of any situation and use it to better yourself.
27 October 2009
at 10:45 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

justlearn that is so bizarre I assume it is a joke and not worth responding too any further.
27 October 2009
at 10:58 p.m.

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flyin_squirrel (Anonymous) says…

Jack,
Move if you don't like it. I am sure you will find what you are looking if you go to some small remote town of Kansas. But then again, you moving there would cause growth…
27 October 2009
at 11:03 p.m.

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JackRipper (Anonymous) says…

why should i move? i'm not the one asking for things that this town can't afford. the people who should are the ones who want everything JOCO has and it is so close. go ahead, don't limit yourself to small town living, you belong in the big leagues.