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Comments:
Ingrid - 2005-03-04 12:57:19 Giving money to general fund would be like giving it directly to Plante and Moran.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 13:16:09 Prospect Park is always full of happy little kids on non-winter weekends, as it should be, since they've put in several fun climbing structures, slides, and the like. Nearby there's always teams of older kids playing basketball. There are two big picnic shelters. Not to mention the Black Fox for visual interest. At any rate, Prospect Park is a good example of a successfully "improved" park that is very popular with all different demographics from toddlers to teens to families to crabby bloggers walking their dog. So why waste money creating a redundant duplicate a mere one minute away? Doesn't strike me as a practical use of money during a financially straitened time.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2005-03-04 13:18:30 Ypsi better save up for repairs to the Tridge. It's just about ready to have boards pop up and off. Barnes and Barnes could take it over and charge a toll.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 13:20:33 I've noticed recently that some of the board steps leading up to Depot Town from the southern leg of the Tridge are a bit spongy. But it sounds as though Raymond has noticed other damage. Speaking of Barnes and Barnes taking things over, weren't they the ones who took over the (steadily crumbling for years now) Thompson Building? Maybe I'm misremembering.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2005-03-04 13:22:56 Yup, Thompson's theirs. The visible work so far is attachment of one of their signs to the brick. They want someone to give them a few million so they can fix it up.* * * * * * * * * * * * laura - 2005-03-04 13:26:16 I had to giggle at that Raymond: but you are right. The tricky sign-attachment procedure is the extent of the improvements thus far. History crumbles. At least the skateboard kids have a convenient ledge, there, for practicing their moves. I was kind of struck at the incongruous sight, the other day, of disintegrating historic pile + cool young skater kids.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 13:29:50 I also have to laugh at the thought of Barnes and Barnes tollkeepers on the Tridge. One can't help but wonder, given the non-fixing of the Thompson Building, what Barnes and Barnes's new city-mandated control over the benighted Eastern Highlands apartment complex will result in.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 13:32:13 Ingrid: I could be wrong, but I think both the Heritage Festival and Elvisfest have their own staffs of volunteers for clean-up. Of course, as you say, city police and fire protection are needed for these 2 giant events.* * * * * * * * * * * * Ingrid - 2005-03-04 13:37:38 Laura: No, you are right, Heritage Festival and Elvisfest do cleanup, but I think I remember hearing Harry Hutchinson saying that there is additional work for his people, too. Those events cause a lot of wear and tear on the park. Barnes and Barnes did take out dozens of dumpsters full of junk from the Thompson building a year or so ago, but nothing else seems to have been done since then.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 13:40:31 Ingrid: That makes sense; those events are so huge, after all; lots of support people needed. Oh yes, the dumpsters. I would have liked an awful lot to carefully pick through the stuff that was being tossed by the ton into dumpster after dumpster. I have a queasy feeling a lot of history was lost to those dumpsters.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 13:42:26 Eric *, would you forgive an ignorant comment? Does Plante and Moran oversee/administer city finances? I thought they were down in Ohio.* * * * * * * * * * * * Ingrid - 2005-03-04 18:39:12 Laura I had that same feeling about the dumpsters-that there were treasures. But, there seemed to be many neighbors who were watching out for such special finds, so I don't think anything got lost (although I don't know for sure) The Thompson building is such a cool building. Didn't it house troops during the Civil War? If only the Thompson building and the old Depot could be fixed up. I'm tired of worrying about debris falling down on my children as we walk near them.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 19:23:26 Ingrid: The Thompson Building is a beautiful old pile. It did indeed house soldiers during the Civil War. The kitchens for the soldiers were in the basement. It was also a huge bike shop later on, during the late-19th-century biking craze (incidentally, the huge fad of biking is what drove the city to begin paving roads, not cars). I am glad that neighbors kept an eye on those dumpsters. Still, I wonder...* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-04 19:38:50 Oops. Perhaps too late I note that the "crabby bloggers" alluded to up there refers to me, and certainly not to Lynne, who has mentioned she sometimes walks her dog there. I hope I did not offend you by my careless comment, Lynne--sorry about that.* * * * * * * * * * * * Scott - 2005-03-05 08:46:48 Speaking of talking things over, for all you nostalgists, I heard recenlt that the Fed Gov. is basically holdong Amtrak hostage(NPR): Either turn over financial control to the Fed, or we wont be able to find the 1.5 mill in aide and subsidies. On top of a .25$/gall tax hike coming real soon(CNN). It's nice to see that we are making oil still Job #1 here. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-05 09:45:50 People who love trains do so with a passion. If Amtrak organized a MoveOn type fundraising/activism website, they might raise a good bit of cash from train fans, although it's deplorable that they don't have necessary funds from the government.* * * * * * * * * * * * Scott - 2005-03-05 09:51:46 What bothers me is that they are bieng held hostage. Do what we want or else!* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-05 12:46:50 Hm. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I'd thought Amtrak was a federally-created national train system. I must be missing something, Scott...I thought it was in fact already a federal agency of sorts. * * * * * * * * * * * * wobblie - 2005-03-06 08:03:18 concerning the Thompson block, Dave Kirtcher, the owner is sueing the city, Barnes and Barnes, the judge and everyone else involved in putting the building into recievership in Federal court. Untill that suit is settled no one wants to put any more money into the building. If Kirtcher wins, he gets the building plus any improvements Barnes and Barnes makes. Thank Dave Kirtcher once again for the continuein blight the city suffers. The Township putting his complex on LaForge into recievership will probably help---he is deprived of the income from the complex, the reciever gets the income to put back into the complex. The problem with the Thompson Building is that there are no tennants to generate income for the reciever thus any money they put into the building comes out of the recievers pocket. Until Kirtcher suit is settled you can count on no progress on the Thompson building. It is important to blame the right folks for Ypsi's problems, and most of the cities housing blight can be dumped in Kirtchers lap. I've been his neighbor for 20 years, and I think he must be suffering from lead poisening. wobblie* * * * * * * * * * * * wobblie - 2005-03-06 08:03:25 concerning the Thompson block, Dave Kirtcher, the owner is sueing the city, Barnes and Barnes, the judge and everyone else involved in putting the building into recievership in Federal court. Untill that suit is settled no one wants to put any more money into the building. If Kirtcher wins, he gets the building plus any improvements Barnes and Barnes makes. Thank Dave Kirtcher once again for the continuein blight the city suffers. The Township putting his complex on LaForge into recievership will probably help---he is deprived of the income from the complex, the reciever gets the income to put back into the complex. The problem with the Thompson Building is that there are no tennants to generate income for the reciever thus any money they put into the building comes out of the recievers pocket. Until Kirtcher suit is settled you can count on no progress on the Thompson building. It is important to blame the right folks for Ypsi's problems, and most of the cities housing blight can be dumped in Kirtchers lap. I've been his neighbor for 20 years, and I think he must be suffering from lead poisening. wobblie* * * * * * * * * * * * lynne - 2005-03-06 10:47:22 Re: "Oops. Perhaps too late I note that the "crabby bloggers" alluded to up there refers to me, and certainly not to Lynne, who has mentioned she sometimes walks her dog there. I hope I did not offend you by my careless comment, Lynne--sorry about that." Ha! I figured you were talking about yourself but the truth is that the crabby dog walking blogger description fits me pretty well some days :)* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-06 18:20:25 Wobblie: You provided a good explanation of why the Thompson Block is in limbo. Might you know an approximate date when Kircher's suit will come up in court? Federal court, no less--good grief. Some say the recent Vacant Buildings Ordinance was really aimed at Kircher and his many blighted buildings around town. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-06 18:21:48 Lynne: OK. My dog likes Prospect Park OK but still prefers the church baseball diamond since she can run around there.* * * * * * * * * * * * tournament - 2005-10-08 14:28:46 You are invited to check some helpful info about bonus - Tons of interesdting stuff!!!* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |