First, let me apologize to the list for the cynical tone of my last post on this topic. "Post Haste" was a part of the proble. No editing, no review, too little time, too little thought.
And then after I sent the post I felt uneasy about it. Especially after my daught, who'd read the topic line, waltzed through the room singing "Dairy Queen at Lake Harriet, Dairy Queen at Lake Harriet!" Sigh. I encourage her to express her opinions and to be creative, and look what sometimes happens! Parenthood is one of the ultimate vulnerabilities.
I really like Lynn's idea of making this into a creative, unique project. We can imagine a world where parks are not cookie-cuttered, but involve integrative programs that teach children, encourage more local entrepreneurialsim, and serve up a variety of unique, yummy, and special treats. Gosh, we might even get a reputation, or start off some local kiddo son the way to new ventures in the food business.
Let's give this lots of room for creativity. Not just choices a, b, or c, but lets invent a new choice. Isn't that sort of what capitalism is all about? Let's knock ourselves back on our own heels with a wonderful, character-filled Minneapolis solution.
Just don't tell my daughter I said that. Not yet. Pleeease!
By the way, Youth Farm & Market might be folks to talk to about this, as well as Ecopolitan, another amazing local venture that is already offering treats made from veggies and fruit that will make you believe they are magical, enchanted. People eating this stuff while walking around the Lakes will begin to float off the ground, we will need to sell strings so that others can keep them from floating away as they munch, doing aerial dances previously unimagined by those of us still on the ground.
Doesn't that sound as good as DQ?
By the way, I do not want to lose DQ as an option in town. My children would force me to move somewhere there is a DQ, and probably ask me to work there to get discounts and stuff.
One last note: RE signage and corporate colonization and stuff. Small, inconspicuous signs would be swell. Small menus and such, posted nearby would be helpful.
I've read lately that the Houston professional sports teams are fleeing the name of a certain corporation like the plague now - one they once loved. I don't follow pro-sports at all, and DQ will never be like that other corporation, I hope. But still, identifying public parks with corporations seems like the wrong thing to do. Public Parks need to be identified with the people of the place, not with artificial legal entities, no matter how popular they might be.
I sure hope I expressed myself better today.
Again, apologies for the "post-haste" post on this topic of yesterday. I feel badly for subjecting you all to that.
-Good Day to all -
Gary Hoover -Kingfield - Ward 10
In a message dated 2/28/02 12:23:42 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I was relieved to read that one Park Board
Commissioner who voted against Dairy Queen was Annie
Young. Mpls should do business with a national
corporation ONLY when there are no other alternatives.
Let's write a grant to start a small business run by
kids to make ice cream and other neat treats & give
all the profits to the kids and pay back the grant. Or
not. But, NO to DQ. No and no and no. Why would we
want to live in a city with no character? no
personality, no imagination! There are local
entrepreneurs out there somewhere that would love to
meet people's need for refreshments!! Find them! We
don't need DQ!!! -- Lynne Mayo
