I like bringing visitors to the Stone Arch Bridge the way it is right now. I would hate to see it or the falls that we look at from it damaged in any way, and I don't hear
the Crown Hydro supporters putting up the $billion it would take to insure the safety of the existing beauty.
Dan McGuire
Ericsson
It is a run of the river project and the developers have agreed to program the system to maintain flow over the falls. It will be more beautiful when it is done then it is today.
Ken Bradley Cocoran
I categorically disagree. The Crown Hydro project calls for extending the Stone Arch Bridge. Virtually any change made to the bridge at this point will detract from it, not make it "more beautiful" than it is today. Further, the proposed change is the "economy version" of extending the bridge -- that is, they are not spending any more money than necessary to simply keep the bridge functional and accessible. That means the extension will not be architecturally or historically sensitive, because both of those characteristics cost much more money.
That does not even begin to address any risks involved in excavation and foundation construction for the bridge; excavation and reinforcement for the forebay; excavation, alteration and enlargement of existing underground races; excavation, foundation and construction of the power house; excavation and tunnel work for the power lines; and reduced water over the Falls.
Even if we assume for the moment that absolutely nothing goes wrong, not one single unpleasant surprise is discovered underground in all that excavation, and that no significant archaeological artifacts are destroyed by same (which also assumes that the artifacts which will be altered and destroyed, e.g. the existing underground races, are of no significant worth), we are still left with a number of drawbacks. Among them are these:
1. The Stone Arch Bridge, a National Historic Engineering Landmark, will be significantly altered in a way that most would agree is antithetical to its aesthetics. In simple words, its value as a landmark, point of city pride and tourist attraction will be greatly diminished.
2. The Falls of St. Anthony, a one of kind landmark for the Twin Cities and the state, will receive significantly and visibly less water flow. Their value as a landmark, point of city pride and tourist attraction will be diminished.
3. The real estate values of properties, whose location (and location and location) in proximity to the Falls and Bridge is a significant part of those values, will be diminished. Along with those values, so will the property tax proceeds received by the city, county, Park Board, Library and School District, be decreased.
4. $5.1 million of the renewable energy fund subsidy will have been spent to produce power at a higher cost than the equivalent amount of power built from wind generation in Minnesota.
5. Taxpayers will pay out $.015 per kilowatt hour generated for the first 10 years of operation. If we believe Ken Bradley's own figures, that's 20 million kilowatt hours per year, or a direct taxpayer subsidy of $300,000 per year for 10 years, or $3 million in total.
6. Potential visitors to the Mill Ruins Park, the Stone Arch Bridge and the waterfront lose 37 parking spaces, discouraging visits.
In return, we get a piddling amount of expensive electric power, and the Park Board gets about $20,000 a year ($30,000 minus the $8,500-plus they get in parking revenue from the 37 parking spaces, minus property tax loss from #3 above) for 10 years, and who knows after that, but we are on the hook for 50 years with a good risk of being on the hook for another 50 years.
It's not a question of "is the sky falling." It's simply this: is the return on our public investment in this project worth the drawbacks and costs? The answer is no.
Chris Johnson / Fulton
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
