(Please let me clarify question 2) > The questions seem to be: > > - What is the value of having a "non-commercial" vendor operate the vending > service? Does the non-commercial vendor offer a value that contributes to > the idyllic community atmosphere of the park experience? Personally, I see > value in receiving the service from a non-commercial vendor. It feels good. > Reminds me of time past. Helps differentiate the experience from a > commercial one. > > - Is the park board capable of operating a profitable (or least not money > loosing) non-commercial vending service? If they are incapable of doing > this, I guess it really doesn't matter what the answer to the first question is. Have they proven capable in other venues? I honestly ask this question because I don't have any idea of the > answer. > > Steve Kotvis > Kenwood > >> Chris Johnson wrote: >> Theodore Wirth's vision, and that of the Park Board in the first half of the >> 20th century, for those concessions was to provide a service to the public >> and >> an opportunity for employment for neighborhood youth, and the learning and >> other community benefits that go with it. Like neighborhood schools and >> neighborhood libraries, neighborhood parks become part of and support the >> community fabric. There was a park within 6 blocks of every residence in the >> city, so that all children and families would have easy access to them -- not >> just the families with soccer moms willing and able to act as limousine >> services to such inaccessible places as the Ft. Snelling soccer fields now >> leased by the Park Board. >> >> Until the early 1980s, the Park Board grew its own plants and trees at its >> own >> greenhouses and nursery, providing yet another pair of locations for a large >> number of city youth to have good experiences and gainful summer employment. >> >> So, do you want billboards on park benches, Dairy Queen signs over >> concessions, and other privatization and commercialization of our parks? Or >> do >> you want the community- and neighborhood-oriented parks that our predecessors >> left us? >> >> >> Mark Anderson replies: >> What are you saying here, Chris? You wax on about Theodore Wirth's vision >> for >> our parks, and I was waiting for your climax: where you explain the grave >> danger to this utopian vision. Apparently this is all about giving DQ the >> concession at Lake Harriet? That gives up the community-oriented parks we >> have? >> >> I don't understand, Chris. I think the main result of out-sourcing the >> concessions would be that the park system could collect more cash than their >> current inefficient and poorly managed yields. At the top of your e-mail you >> basically accuse the Park Board of hiding theft at the concession stands. >> Then at the bottom, you defame the Board for giving up day-to-day management. >> I'd think you would celebrate taking the management away from the Board. >> >> Also, why do you have an emotional attraction to the concession stands being >> run by the Park Board? I can understand your concern with losing the >> benefits >> of our park system. Mpls does have a great park system. I would miss it >> too, >> if we lost all the green space. But the concession stands? Who cares who >> runs them? They are already the exception to the green space, perhaps an >> unavoidable blot on the rest of the parks. But if we have to have them, >> let's >> at least make money on them. >> >> Mark V Anderson >> Bancroft >> REMINDERS: >> 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. >> 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. >> >> For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html >> For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract >> ________________________________ >> >> Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy >> Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
-- Steve Kotvis REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
