Prominent Citizen Speaks

Wonder if the impervious area of the Town Green is greatrer than the 25% allowed for the residential zone.

It is called the Town GREEN because it is expensive.

How long will it take a three year old to run from the water element on the Town Green into on going traffic on Maple Avenue. THREE SECONDS? Maud will have another chance to reject another memorial. Great planning. Why is there NO fence?

Maud thought about that already....

Each kid under 10 will be required to wear a dog collar with a device that will produce a small shock if they get near Maple Ave.

This device will be very similar to the one her over 70 "supporters" wear when they vote on May 1st.

ANY simpleton, and we mean ANY, could see that this new park is an accident waiting to happen. The lack of planning for a fence, the sheer inability to think that a grass area less than 35 ft from Maple Avenue could have small children darting into traffic is abhorrent. But since on good authority we understand Cathy Salgado will now NOT supply electrified fencing/dog collars for all kids, but rather she will personally stand next to Maple Avenue with an electric cattle prod to control small children...we are satisfied that a solution is in place.

[...], your office on Beulah -- which houses a family practice -- has no fence to stop a toddler from darting down the hill, out the driveway apron, and into traffic on Beulah Road. The closest parking spot to Beulah is about 20-30 feet. How long would it take that toddler to get from the minivan -- where mom is struggling with her other two children -- to Beulah? Will you erect a memorial?

There are also no fences in front of Safeway, Giant, Taco Bell, Outback, Jammin' Java, Magruders, Vienna Inn, Waters Field (Center Street DOES see quite a bit of traffic), EB Games (or whatever it's called), etc. Many, if not all of those places invite families with small children. Many of those places, and/or the parking spaces for them, are less than 35 feet from 123. Hell, the grocery stores are basically a MUST (whereas a Town Green is an optional activity). It only takes one inattentive parent, and there's a dead child on 123. So do we build the Great Wall of Vienna down both sides of 123?

Do you see my point, or am I just being dishonest and preachy again?

"Cooler Head?" the places you mention are not advertised and promoted as parks by a government. The average person doesn't expect a mother to take their kids to the middle of a parking lot and "relax". In fact when in a parking lot the average mother will be very conscious of kids movements. Now at a park it is a whole different game. Your basic logic is disingenuous.

How can anyone argue with such logic as Cooler Head?

FYI, Waters Field is a park -- not that it matters here, though -- park or parking lot is just a red herring. You guys and gals are upset about what you perceive to be the negligence/recklessness of the planners/builders of a "feature" that is meant to attract families/children. That makes it NO different than most of the retailers on 123. You are only making the distinction because you're pissed at the government about a bunch of stuff (much of it totally unrelated to the Town Green), not at a particular retailer. But in essence, there's no difference. If you got screwed by Stalcup's on some warranty/return and he told you to shove it up your arse, I bet you'd find a whole lot of crap that was dangerous to children, like the cool old-timer truck parked out by 123 that just screams for kids to go see it. The fact that Maud ate your children has nothing to do with whether the town is more or less "negligent" than Dr. [...], EB Games, or Dunkin Donuts because of those locations' proximity to 123. If THIS is the primary bitch you have, then it's time to get out your checkbooks and start building the Great Wall of China down both sides of every somewhat busy street.

And for the person who claims to be a less vigilant parent at a playground than in a supermarket parking lot, I think that speaks more to your parenting style than the particular location in which you practice it. If you can't keep a vigilant eye on your children, KEEP THEM AWAY FROM 123. Duh. Seriously. Kids don't get run over in malls, either, but ask John Walsh what else can happen to them. At worst, if your kid gets smashed -- and I'm sorry to sound cold about it -- it's contributory negligence, and most of the blame will be squarely on your head: ASSUMPTION OF THE RISK. You do it every time you choose to walk out the door.

It's a bit odd, because I thought the driving forces behind this site were good ole fashioned conservative republicans. But it's really starting to sound like hardcore advocation for the nanny state. Which strikes me as ... sort of anti-republican.

Now, "Logic?": can please explain to me (1) what you take to be my "basic logic," and (2) how it is disingenuous? Maybe I've missed your point?

I might also point out that the town green is not a playground. It's designed as a passive open space meant for sitting & admiring the traffic along 123.

I actually have a 3 year old and when I rode by the area and saw all the cement, I was very disappointed. It is defintely not a place that I can take my 3 year old to let her run and play. I was also generally disappointed with the way it looks. It appears to be 1/3 cement pavers -- not very attractive.