Is anyone planning to protest courthouse square ribbon ceremony Saturday 4/29? They are promoting it as if it's such a wonderful thing for the residents ?
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Is anyone planning to protest courthouse square ribbon ceremony Saturday 4/29? They are promoting it as if it's such a wonderful thing for the residents ?
As I recall, there was a huge protest to this, and it didn't change a thing. They sweep us aside as if we're just fallen leaves on the street. Not feeling encouraged to protest when it feels so impotent. Maybe that's just me. Of course it will be promoted as a great thing for the residents; that's how promotion and marketing work. Weave a tale of benefits from their perspective, and throw in a few well chosen words that elaborate the positive, and hide the negative, (including lost funds meant to really benefit the community). Some people know the truth, but aren't about to tell....just yet anyway. But things do have a way of leaking, eventually.
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Posted in reply to the post by Fortunecookie:
Rather than protest something that's already there, how about joining the El Pueblo Unido/People's March starting in Roseland at noon on Saturday and ending at the New Courthouse Square. The square only became 2 parcels in 1966, having been one unified Plaza since 1884. A large plaza in the center of town is a standard feature of so many of our cities with Mexican heritage. Unido indeed.
I think it looks really good. When they remove the cyclone fence, it'll look even better!
Yeah! for slowing down traffic through the center of Santa Rosa, and diverting it to other roads... so Santa Rosa Ave is not like a 4 lane freeway. I've noticed that there's less traffic on the few blocks north and south of the new square, which is a good thing. A city is for people, and not traffic.
It is a recreation of the original square in the middle of Santa Rosa, a place where people can gather... & slow down... like the square in Healdsburg, or Central Park in NYC. It's a really positive thing the City has done... it's been a vision for downtown Santa Rosa for many years, & it's wonderful they finally pulled it off!
how quickly facts are forgotten: yes, a larger square without a street cutting it in half is better, but the square is diminished in significant ways -
actually LESS public space, LOSS of several huge, beautiful redwoods (from the heart of the "Redwood Empire"), REMOVAL of the fountain which had been agreed to be kept in perpetuity, LOSS of the bits of GRASS / small hills to sit on, and at a COST OF $10 MILLION - PLUS ANOTHER $10 MILLION in interest by the time bond is paid.
Think that the square 'improvement' is worth $20 MILLION? Really?
When hundreds/thousands are homeless and the perpetual cry is that there's no money for shelters or 'affordable housing'... $20 million...
jude
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Posted in reply to the post by tommy:
the redwoods in the middle of town bring a zoo to mind. The new trees are better for in town. And though $20 million used to be real money (remember the 'million dollar movie' series) now it's the cost of a couple of dozen Sonoma county houses. I still think of ground beef as 60 cents a pound, and gas over a dollar seems wrong. But yeah, for a change that is intended to change the way people live in and use the city, it's a reasonable cost. The little hills were nice but I'm a lot more likely to come to town for events in the square than I ever would be to sit on a small bump of grass. I think the city planners expect that many people share that trait.Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Jude Iam:
The whole project is yet again , another abuse of power on behalf of the City Council. I think we should retire all the council members at Saturday's Ribbon Ceremony while they can still feed themselves! So sad and pathetic!
Many, many people spoke eloquently (and, occasionally, humorously) against the Courthouse Square project at meetings "seeking public input", but it was a done deal before those meeting even occurred - now would they have occurred at all if word of deals made behind closed doors hadn't leaked out and required face-saving. The police, a few banks and a few downtown businesses wanted more lights, more concrete and less grass and trees, mainly, I believe, to roust homeless people. So, Santa Rosa's march toward sterility continues apace. The whole process has been both disheartening and disgusting.
I think Trump's retired that word for most of us, unless you really mean to invoke him. Make Courtyard Square Great Again??Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Fortunecookie:
But I think it looks really good. Stick RPG 2 unblocked
I think they have sterilized it. No shade to speak of , few tables and the pergola with tables used to have gamers playing regularly. Not only does S.R. war on the homeless, but also on their youth. I make my purchases as local as possible (Seb. Forestville even Rohnert Park because I think the S.R. chamber of commerce only want gentrified people using downtown opening their wallets
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Posted in reply to the post by Hidexas5:
If the smaller towns tried the same thing, it would be a failure. But we're a big region and having a large space is really appropriate. I don't want to move the big events to Graton, Occidental or Sebastopol.Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Dorothy Friberg:
I've split off the relevant and important, but tangential conversation regarding homelessness into a new thread ("What to do about homelessness?").
Anybody else have comments about the redesign of Courthouse Square (especially if you have been there!)?
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Posted in reply to the post by Dorothy Friberg:
I work in downtown Santa Rosa, two blocks off the square and think it is a HUGE improvement to downtown. The biggest problem with the old divided "square" was the street that split it in half with the square paving texture that created so much amazingly obnoxious road noise that both sides were unbearable to be in. Although there were some nice, shady areas that should have felt quiet and peaceful, the noise made it feel like it bordered a freeway. There was also no central gathering space that could accommodate a large event. The old stage and open space at the corner of 3rd and Santa Rosa was poorly proportioned and WAY too noisy to be useful.
The new square is nice and open at the center, so you can actually see the buildings that surround it. It feels very civic and urban, as I think the center of Sonoma County's largest city should feel. Like a city, not a town. Lack of shade is an issue right now, but once the trees mature a little, that won't be a problem. The best part is what is going to happen in the buildings that front it ... in very short order, I predict new restaurants and shops will open and will further activate the square and become very successful. Also, there has been no significant traffic impact that I can see.
Now, my gripes:
1. The City process was HORRIBLE. It looks years, wasted unbelievable amounts of public and consultant time and was financially incredible wasteful. Santa Rosa is famous for crazy and wasteful City Processes, so it was no surprise.
2. The little "Information" buildings are architecturally abysmal. Any designer could have designed better little buildings.
3. No public restrooms.
Other that that, I'm super happy about it.