Not exactly foreward looking
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. A bit of hyperbole, but apt nonetheless. The Quad City Music Guild located in Moline's Prospect Park is a true gem located on a prometory of land surrounded by old oaks and with a spectacular view over the Rock River Valley on the south and Prospect Park on the west.
It's done perfectly well with it's small parking lot, depending on effecient bus service for patrons who park at nearby lots and ride shuttles to the facility.
For some reason which I personally can't fathom, someone decided that they should spend money they don't have to pave over a large part of the beautiful grounds so more traffic could jam down into the dead-end residential street where the theatre is located. Simply stupid in my estimation.
The residents rightly opposed the measure, but were overruled.
Now the city of Moline and it's taxpayers are chipping in to help with the cost of the defilement of the grounds to the tune of nearly $27,000.
It really seems as if this is our own little "bridge to nowhere". A project with no apparent pressing need, strongly objected to by those who live in the gorgeous and otherwise secluded neighborhood, very costly, and which wouldn't have been possible without the collusion of the Moline Park Board and City Council.
Too bad none of them live near the Music Guild, or I'd bet my eye-teeth that this project would never have even gotten off the ground.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 11/15/2006
11 comments
11 Comments:
I hear more complaints about the Moline Government's lack of responsiveness and forward planning than any other local government, and Bobbi-Sue fielded complaints about the specific act of additional paving in this park. Unfortunately, we were only contacted when there was less then 24 hours left before the construction, so there was nothing we could actually do to help.
This is actually a classic park management problem, when I was working at the Grand Canyon in Arizona, there was always controversy about whether overlooks were better left semi-undeveloped (even if parking did become overcrowded in peak times) or if adding further development and parking lots was the answer.
I tend to come down on the side of preservationists who believe keeping things more natural is the appropriate answer. Once a beautiful little park corner is paved over, it's pretty much gone for good. One reason the quad cities is beautiful is the fact that many parts of town are NOT overdeveloped, there are always little wild nooks and crannies to discover and explore and enjoy.
I am also of the opinion, that parking lot construction by municipalities should be more environmentally friendly. Parking lots don’t have to be a solid slab of concrete that encourages addition storm water runoff. Environmentally friendly parking lots - which some call “semi-permeable parking lots” - can be constructed that do not contribute to run-off and erosion in the same extreme fashion as standard blacktop or concrete construct.
I’d think that kind of attention to long term costs and consequences, instead of just initial costs, would be important for a government unit imposing a “storm water run-off tax” on it’s residents.
And all this time I thought a "Prometory" was British Republican who liked to read Prometheus.
I guess this means a "Promentory" is a girl who goes to her school dance with a British Republican.
Silly me.
Keep up the good work!
I didn't hear a peep out of you when the city improved Prospect Park and property value of eveyone in the area. Sheeshhh.
Um, yes you did, dufus.
And are you talking about the hundreds and hundreds of thousands the city is spending to construct, attempt to repair, and ultimately redo the walking paths?
No, no, no. I didn't hear ya say nuthin bout how these lucky folks who crummy properrty abytted prosepct were big giant winners. Now that the city wants some gain, you preseveationist go wacko.
If you and Hutton want to preserve this place keep Boland in power. He hasn't gotten anything done in years. With him in control, your area will continue to fall behind.
that's not gas, that's your breath comeing back at you Dop!
You must be fun at parties.
At least people invite me! You, not so much.
Enjoy you minnimum wage hike. Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Enjoy you minimum wage hike."?
"Enjoy you minimum wage hike."?
What a gaping blowhole you are anon above.
Really, just HOW do you do it and still expect to get away with it? Do you think it's not obvious who you are?
Or even more baffling, WHY do you do it? Why are you hung-up on the Dope? Did he hurt your little feelings?
Next time you have a thought, do yourself and all of us a favor and just let it go, ok big guy?
Dope, how'd you end up with losers like anon above and why do you even put up their stuff?
It's obvious that this nut case is obsessed, and it's obvious that it's a prominent illiterate elected official who actually thinks attacking you with this kind of crap is funny.
Just wanted to say that it's obvious where this crap comes from and that I for one wish this creep would short out his keyboard with his drool and stop his twisted little hate fest.
This same half-wit has been carrying on with his obsession for nearly a year. What's the little guy's problem? Blog envy?
To this jerk, get back to the job you were elected to do, buzz off and let the Dope do his thing!
I bet you would like to see an end to poverty also? You liberals, stay out of my backyard.
Why yes, I would. I'd also like to see a beginning to YOUR poverty. (if it hasn't been long-term already)
But I guess that wouldn't be nice.
Anon 13:45
You only get to see a fraction of the comments from the peanut gallery. Most of them are too sad to even post.
I'm caught in a no-win situation. If I post all these morons, then I have people screaming about how "uncivil" and "irresponsible" it is for me to do so.
If I dump them, I have equally shrill people screaming at me for not allowing these stupid comments to be posted and accusing me of "censorship".
So I have no other choice than to just be the "decider" and do what I feel is best.
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