Thursday, July 05, 2007

Open Thread Thursday

People keep jacking threads. Even though I allow it, I still think that you can get your point accross better if you post it where its appropriate. We have discussed putting a YaBB on the main LPAC site, where people can talk about whatever subject they like. But until that happens, I'm going to intoduce "Open Thread Thursdays" to this blog. Talk among yourself about anything you like, as long as it isn't spam or obscene. It's one more way I can be lazy and get you all to generate more content for this blog.
By at

12 comments:

Dave MacDonald said...

You mean I can really post about anything I like?

Have I mentioned that I think an Old Fort Waterpark Resort would make a great addition to the OmniSource property?

Dave

05 July, 2007 14:14
Anonymous said...

Open Thread Thursdays?

I like this idea, even though I can post over at Summit City Libertarians. That blog doesn't exactly draw in as many people as this one.

But anyway, I have a few different things to bring up for discussion.

1) I am surprised, but very happy about the results of the Remonstrance petition battle. The blue side appears to have won by a large number. This is good news to everyone, well except the teachers union and local contractors. The School Board should have been smarter about how much they wanted to spend. Now they have to wait another year before they can try again. Maybe next time they will be a little more reasonable and intelligent about how they go about all of this.

2) I have been doing a lot of research on plastic bags for the past few months. For anyone that doesn't already know plastic bags are consumed in ridiculously large numbers around the world. They contribute mainly bad things to everyone and everything. For more specific details on this you can check out the following site.

reusablebags.com

I found it very informative and eye-opening. I have decided to do a lot more to minimize the number of plastic bags I use and recycle all those I do. I recently bought some recycled cotton shopping bags for when I go out to buy things. These bags are gorwing in popularity and offer a lot of potential for new businesses in the private sector. I am hoping this can become a very popular trend and eventually become the norm.

3) To all of the Libertarian candidates running for City Council this year I would like you to know that if you need any additional help with your campaigns I would be glad to help in any way I possibly can. Just let me know and I would be glad to give you my email and phone number so that you can get in touch with me.

05 July, 2007 14:33
Robert Enders said...

Interesting idea, Dave. Get the backing of some private investers, don't use any public funds, and you'll have my support.

Let me ask you a question though. It's kind of rhetorical. Why would people pay to go to a waterpark when they can swim in the river for free?

05 July, 2007 17:42
Anonymous said...

There was actually a story in one of the local papers a few days back about the rapid growth of indoor waterparks across the country. It seems as if they are opening up too quickly in some areas creating too much supply and not enough demand. However I do beleive Fort Wayne would benefit from a nice waterpark as long as the prices are reasonable enough for people to use it often. I think many people would be more than willing to buy season passes if the price was right.

05 July, 2007 17:50
Dave MacDonald said...

Here's my rhetorical answer...

Get the rivers cleaned up to a point where people WANT to swim in them and I'll scrap the waterpark idea!

(well, maybe not)

05 July, 2007 17:53
Dave MacDonald said...

Seriously, there's a proper role for government and it doesn't include owning/maintaining a waterpark. Let the City provide the vision, create a ground-swell of public support for the project, show businesses and investors how they can participate, and then (most important) get out of the way.

05 July, 2007 17:58
Robert Enders said...

Here's my rhetorical response to your answer. If the rivers are so polluted, why do people want to build anything near them? The Omnisourse site made a fine enough location for a recycling plant. It can be a good location for another industrial site.

05 July, 2007 18:12
Dave MacDonald said...

I believe it's more a matter of perception than anything else. The very thought that some raw sewage winds up in the river after a heavy rain is enough to turn people off. It may well be safe and within acceptable standards, but any amount will not win over the public.

The best way to "clean up" the rivers is to get the people using them on a regular basis or give them a vision of what they can become - clean and useable.

05 July, 2007 18:34
Robert Enders said...

I did swim in the St Mary's once back in 1994, and I suffered no apparent ill effects. Doesn't the Polar Bear club swim in the St Joe every year? Sometimes I see people fishing in the rivers. If I'm not mistaken, the biggest health concern regarding the rivers is bactierial content. So maybe your waterpark might appeal to people with repressed immune systems.

All kidding aside, marketing would be the X factor. Would proximity to the rivers really help a waterpark? Heck, people will pay $4 for coffee and $1.50 for bottled water. A business can still thrive even when cheaper alternatives are available. I really cannot say if a waterpark will succeed or not. (That is why if I'm elected to city council, the last thing I will do is try to run a business in the place of the business owner.)

I wish you the best of luck in making this work. May I ask if you were planning on investing in this venture?

05 July, 2007 19:11
Dave MacDonald said...

I appreciate your remarks about how you will handle your role as city councilman. We need more on Council with exactly your attitude.

First things first. I'm investing my time and energy on the vision. If others feel it has merit, we'll cross that bridge. I'm not a developer but I would gladly invest in a privately funded project overwhelmingly supported by the public.

I don't believe proximity to the rivers is a requirement, only a plus. Continuity and synergies make the project work even better.

05 July, 2007 20:34
Jeff Pruitt said...

Are you kidding Robert? Do you know how many CSO days we have per year?

That's raw sewage into the river on those days. You go ahead and swim - I'll hold out for something better...

06 July, 2007 02:19
Gloria said...

Jury Pool in New Haven is going to upgrade their facility. I've been swimming there for years. It's a huge pool, it already has a small slide, and a diving area. They also have a rest period every hour where adults 18 and over can swim. This is when I do my laps, dodging lazy people and couples who have the gall to block my way. I've been going to this pool ever since I was a little girl. I think it's great as is, but they will be turning it into a more family-friendly water park type of environment in another couple years. The pool only charges $1.50 per person, as opposed to Northside Pool, where I think they charge at least $3 a head, and the facility isn't nearly as big.

If the project goes through, there will be a seasonal water park in New Haven, as well as Wana Waves, an indoor water park which is about an hour away in Shipshewana. This might cause a glut of water parks in the area, unless Fort Wayne can come up with a facility to end all facilities.

I've not spent time in any of the rivers for 22 years now, when I was a participant in the 3RF Raft Race back in 1985. Nor would I care to.

What else do I have to say about this? Fort Wayne folks are lazy. Give them what they want, and they might come, they might not. But here's some suggestions for downtown:

1. Another Wal-mart. Then we can rename the city, "City of Wal-marts."
2. A Dave and Busters. This restaurant/video game arcade/sports bar would get me downtown at least once a month.
3. A NASCAR race track. Fat, white, blue collar redneck men need a reason to come downtown too, not just the foofy "young professionals."
4. An Imax theater.
5. Midget tossing. (Just kidding!)
6. A Star Trek-themed hotel. ("Beam me up some room service french fries, Scotty!") Of course, if we do this, we'll be overrun by Trekkies, but think of the economic possibilities!

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on your view) Fort Wayne is not like a lot of cities. What works in Cleveland may not work here. We don't know if we want to be a small city with major city attitude, or a major city, with a small town attitude. Maybe if we solve our identity crisis, we can figure out what downtown should be.

12 July, 2007 09:32

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