I’m Blogging live from the parks meeting at the Connors school. I have to say this feels like a good idea gone horribly wrong. I don’t get the sense that the supposed leaders from this town really want to create park space.
Everyone who speaks, from the mayor, council, and planners are always saying we are “trying” to get the space but they say that with the idea that we have to make deals with developers to get it done. Its total BS! They leave that crumb for people to bite on but leave themselves room to get out of it.
This meeting was better than the last, however. There were less angry people attending. The planning company did have some ideas but without an effective assessment of how much this is going to cost, they can’t move forward. They did supply some concepts to discuss but they weren’t meaningful without the money.
With all this talk going on about the city trying to get parks why doesn’t the town just buy the damn land and get it over with? Why can’t the town just give the people what they want? If it will make people happy, do it! When parks increase the value of our property, when it gentrifies the area, when it adds makes the area nicer to look at, and it gives families a reason to stay, live, and grow in this area, why don’t they do it?
Why struggle with the people and fight them on getting the park? Why invite disaster by forcing confrontation which is what I’m seeing at these meetings? Why get up in front of the crowd and say “I hear what you are saying and I agree with you and want and will work to get it BUT….”
“But” is a negative word. It means no to most people as if I’d like to help you but I can’t. Or he/she is a good person but… It reverses your words just spoken and it only says to me that you are lying.
I don’t want to say the town is lying to is but I don’t get the idea that they are serious. I think we need to pressure the town into just buying the land and giving is an 11 acre park. Let’s not accept anything that involves development or concessions.
Come on Hoboken! Let’s get them to give us a park with no strings attached!
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry.
