Slagel: "count the golf courses as public park space"

Shameless spinning of the numbers.

Tell you what: as soon as the golf courses are open to the public for general recreation (for free) I'll let you count them in the park/resident level of service number.

Check out the graphic on the right. Notice how golf courses reside in the "publically owned, low accessibility" quadrant. Do you really want to publish that number when the consultant told you other cities around us do not? At what point does boosterism veer into intentional misinformation?

It's taken from a document on the National Parks and Recreation Association website; this is the "they" the consultant spoke of.

On a serious note: I will give Bob credit for asking whether or not the old, currently-unsused NPRA guideline included golf greens.

Masterplan: Heights is unaffected, right? pt 2

Again, doublecheck the official transcript to make sure I haven't gotten this all bass-ackwards.

{after the break}

Mark: I'm having an anxiety attack. I don't see NOTHIN' about Heights gymnastics!

Consultant: Well....

Mark: I mean, I know gymnastics didn't appear on the top 5, 10, or 20 concerns of the public but we are spending a metric ton of cash on it now. I really can't see us stopping the money flow until the city is bankrupted and empty of human life.

Consultant: the public is happy with the current situation. I mean, Frisco right up the road has a world-class program that is generating Olympic medal winners. Do you really want to get into an arms race in that field?

Mark: Don't get sidetracked: it's about making Heights happy. You clearly don't understand how many wheelbarrows of cash I have agreed to spend on hand talc and landing mats. My grand-daughter has friends who are all gymnasts and when she looks at me with those eyes...

Consultant: normally we use approach called "research", "sanity" and "logic". We can rework the plan using your "gotta have more gymnastics cowbell" approach.

Bob: Parks did a number on it! Everybody knows.... { munches on crackers }

Masterplan: Heights is unaffected, right? pt 1

I was doing a bit of transcription, although in retrospect I have some concerns about my accuracy.

Gary: I see a bunch of stuff up there. Heights projects are unaffected by what we've seen tonight, right?

Consultant: Believe it. {pretends to talk on radio} "The Golden Calf is intact. I repeat: the Golden Calf is intact."

Gary: {wiping brow} Thank god. Wait. Are you sure?

Consultant: It's right here on this slide called "Heights gets their previously-agreed-upon projects and in return they promise not to scuttle the upcoming bonds program." We're foldin' it in right there. Masterplan doesn't get done otherwise. Our contract stipulates "if Heights ain't happy, nobody's happy."

Gary: That's awesome. We're talkin' millions of future debt to work with here; exactly what kind of additional, ludicrous water configurations will work for Heights?

Consultant: The overall plan includes...

Gary: Heights. Stay focused. We're talking about Heights here.

Consultant: Uh...

Gary: a water feature?

Consultant: yes, that's in there.

Gary: A big water feature, a really good one?

Consultant: Yeah. Humongous. We really think we can stuff....

Gary: Rivers? Floating rivers? Heights people gotta float.

Amir: Focus group! Uptown! Desirable demographics! Up and coming incomes!* {starts making sound of hard drive clicking, not spinning up}

etc

* That last bit is an actual quote. I assume it was a Freudian slip.

Masterplan: 35-45 demographic

A business partner once watched me struggle to get a handle on some small, weird detail. He said:

"If you don't understand a given situation, follow the money."[0]

I have used this to good effect over the years. I have heard council members and consultants talk about how they wanted to pull a younger demographic but never grokked it. I think it's starting to come into focus for me.

Let's take the 35-45 demo discussed in the 1/11 work session:

35-45 is where home ownership rates (and hence property taxes) start to increase; and
35-45 is too young to put pressure on senior services or qualify for the senior property tax exemption; and
35-45 is too old to have a bunch of kids putting long-term pressure on the school district and youth services.

BTW: Highland Park park spaces are highly valued not so much for their overall acreage-to-resident ratio, but because the neighborhoods are lovely and one's wife or daughter feels like she can run at night without getting assaulted.

[0] edited on 2/20/2010. I had rewritten the "if you don't understand" line before and left it in illegible condition.

Suburban cricket

Dear Wife and I were out biking late last night and we saw a bunch of cars in the parking lots of Terrace Park.

We rolled over that way to check it out. The action was on the tennis courts, but we had to get very close before I recognized the bowlers and cricket bats.

Cricket, in a park in the middle of Richardson! Great stuff. I was glad to see it; adds to the charm of our little burg.

COR Parks master planning

Click the thumbnail to see the info on the public meeting about parks. I'll write up my deranged responses here and paste them into an email as given in the graphic.

1. What parks and recreation facilities and programs (indoor and outdoor) do you currently use? If you don't use the system, why not?

I currently use outdoor parks for walking, cycling, and geocaching. I have only used the indoor rec areas for picking up recycling bags. I might use the rec centers more if there were more planned day trips to areas of local interest. Glenrose, Dublin Dr. Pepper, Rough Riders games, zoo trips, etc.

2. What do you like about the City of Richardson parks, Recreation Facilities and Programs (indoor and outdoor)?

I think COR has an appropriate number and distribution of parks. They appear to be in decent shape.

3. What don't you like or what is missingfrom your parks and recreation system? How can the system be improved? What is your vision for the future of Richardson parks and recreation opportunities?

The rocket ship and other neat structures in Heights Park are missing, for one thing. Lawyers, legislators and consultants.... boo.

Other than my #1 issue is that a high number of park water fountains do not work. I can't tell if the water is turned off or the buttons are broken. This isn't good when Texas summers are baking park goers. I'd argue it's a health/safety issue.

More walking and bike paths would be nice. Signs that suggest bike paths connecting parks to each other and nearby areas of interest.

In areas that don't have tree cover (like many playground areas) shade awnings that let only 50% of the sun through would increase comfort. As long as I'm blue-skying it, how about water misters mounted in trees and shelters that run for 15mins after you press the button? Would help with the heat without wasting water unattended.

Use of more native grasses and plants that would require less water and/or maintenance.

4. Imagine it is the year 2015. you are very pleased with the improvements that have been made to your park and recreation system since the master plan was completed. What has happened to make the parks more successful and enjoyable? How have the recreation and leisure opportunities changed?

The water fountains work. People are seen walking and biking at all times of day and night. COR has reached out to groups like the bike clubs and local volkmarchers that exercise outdoors regularly.

5. How do your feel the City and other jurisdictions should generate the funds necessary to improve the parks and recreation system?

I don't know enough about city finance to have an informed opinion. Maybe have citizens or companies adopt parks and contribute to their upkeep?