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Jim

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Jim last won the day on November 22 2023

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  1. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    At one City Council meeting, a gentleman said that he had an organization that would get involved in the upkeep, etc. I applied for the Register because the person in charge of such in NY state urged me to do so. At the time, I wasn't aware that the City would have to sign off on it. If BPP were on the register, it and the park and neighborhood would become eligible for state and federal grants. As for upkeep, don't you think it advisable to determine those costs before making a decision to tear it down? Don't you think it would be advisable to determine how we might make money on it, too? Personally, I think that the City should canvas the people of Elmira for their ideas, something they have steadfastly avoided. In my discussions, people have offered lots of interesting and fun suggestions. Let's face it. The City has never dealt openly, honorably or invitingly with the people of our city.
  2. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    By the way, the grant also includes free swimming lessons for our children. Will the City still pay for that, as you suggest?
  3. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    I know people who have learned in no uncertain terms that they aren't invited to West Elmira. Why do you need another splash pad? And why don't they take care of the one that is already there as well as the playground equipment? Do you find it acceptable that the City can't take care of the property belonging to the people of Elmira? Regarding the NYSWIMS grant, if the City had applied and received it, they would have a new BPP, a new splash pad and playground equipment for less than what they have allocated to tear down the building and put up the other. I call that a waste of money and irresponsible government. My request for the National Register would have saved the City much money. So now we get no pool, just another splash pad. Why don't you send the people of Elmira to our other parks, where they will find splash pads? Who are you, by the way?
  4. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    Those kids do not go to those pools. The ones who have tried have felt very unwelcome. And the cost is not inviting either. I had no such effect of the sort. I point out the splash pads, because the city wants already has them in our parks. There is only one swimming pool. It's insensitive to suggest that our kids can go elsewhere to swim. By the way, anyone can apply to have a property placed on the Historic Register. If accepted, the property is eligible for numerous grants from the state and federal govts.
  5. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    Your statement doesn't make any sense. There are splash pads already in Elmira parks. Did you read my remarks about our kids going to pools in West Elmira or on Harris Hill?
  6. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    I keep telling the city to be honest and change the sign to read: Destroying the past, impoverishing the future. It seems to have caused them to remove it from the city's website! 🙂
  7. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    I repeat, the cost to tear down the building and put up the pad, etc., is nearly twice what the cost would be to the city if they restored the building. As for maintenance, the city argues that maintenance is too expensive, but they readily admit they have no idea what that cost might be. Besides, we can use the pool in ways to generate money, get grants from the state and federal governments, use our imaginations on usage, compare the cost of maintenance with that of the golf course, and find ways to fund life guards. One certified life guard told me he would volunteer. The grant provides for the certification of life guards, by the way. It would create a great partnership between the city and CCC. I have no doubt that we can make the pool work and make money, even when not in use as a pool. By the way, the golf course is used only a few months each year too. Does the cost merit it?
  8. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    Have you seen that sign at the entrance to Elmira that reads: Honoring the past, building the future? 😉
  9. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    Chris, you fault me for blaming the City, but to move people takes education in modern planning practices and in the virtues of what I argue. You can't deny that the City, since long before Mandell, has not taken care of the city's properties. Frankly, I call that irresponsible government. By continuing to tear down buildings in our downtown we just create blight. I have been here since 2000, and there has been little improvement, but what improvement we have seen is the responsibility of the private sector. Too bad people don't make an effort to voice their concerns. We got about 500 signatures of people who want the pool restored. That was done in about 3 weeks. And I have spoken with many people here. They have almost all expressed a desire to see the pool restored, and all have stated that they have no desire for another splash pad. By the way, the city's leadership has never made an effort to find out what the people of Elmira want. Is that good government?
  10. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    TTL I have already argued the importance of restoration of the pool for the improvement of the city. Please read those arguments, and answer what your issues have to do with the pool restoration. And look at the vast improvements made by small towns that follow the Main Street America program. The NYSWIMS grant makes the cost of restoration virtually free for the city. It would certainly be less than the $1 million the City has allocated to tear it down and put up the splash pad/playground equipment. And the grant also includes splash pads/equipment. And how do you defend the $2 million replacement of the sprinkler system at the city's golf course? the maintenance costs? the underserved wealthy users? And since we're questioning "underserved," why don't you read the requirements of the grant? What is TTL, by the way?
  11. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    The issues with drugs and homelessness etc. are real. Restoration is another matter all together. But restoring the pool will have a huge impact on the stabilization of the Maple St. neighborhood, investment in the area, and revival of downtown. It will, in that way, impact positively on the issues you mention. The current government's policies of refusing to maintain the city's buildings and parks certainly does nothing for either cause. It leads to want and waste of money that could be put to truly good use.
  12. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    It's not the same, today, Chris. Address the arguments I advance in my articles. With a little imagination, we can revive the pool and its usage and make money at it. Compare the benefits of the golf course. Do we even make money on it? I haven't been able to find out, and it's not because I haven't tried. The problem is a lack of vision in our government and a lack of what is needed to revive our city. Every year they allow more and more demolition in our downtown. It is destroying our city. It's time to start taking care of Elmira's properties, including its parks, instead of letting them rot and stopping the scorching. It's time to stop these failed policies and recognize what planning organizations and cities that are on the move are telling us. By the way, the mayor has stated that they have no intention of trying to repossess the Maxwell Place Fire Station. But I have actually spoken with the administration of Kennedy Valve, and they said I would be interested in the idea I mentioned.
  13. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    The point of restoring the pool is to jump start the City to revitalize the downtown, stabilize the City, reach the needs of the underserved, and begin to redevelop from the ground up. It is fundamental to that effort. Otherwise, we continue to destroy the City and mall/maul the downtown.
  14. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    Wrong, Chris, they required the study because I had applied to have it placed on the National Historic Register. No one has convincingly determined that it is not salvageable, and the City has been completely disingenuous about it. It is evident the mayor and city manager don't understand or value historic preservation. They also don't believe in maintaining the city's properties, including its parks (City Hall, the Maxwell Place Fire Station, the rollerblading arena at Eldridge Park, the splash pad/playground equipment at Brand Park...). Their arguments are without foundation or credibility. I'm tired of listening to statements that are not based on reason, sound judgment, and knowledge. As for why they would throw money at it now, Adam, read my article here or in the Star-Gazette, and don't scoff at the pool by making such biased statements. Study the issues. Cities that are flourishing today preserve their history. If you don't believe me, check out Main Street America (under the National Trust for Historic Preservation), or the Strong Towns website.
  15. Jim

    Brand Park Pool

    Have a look at an aerial photo of Elmira. Our city used to be the envy of the entire area. It is now the laughing stock. The tear-down mentality is just causing more decay and population loss. It's because of irresponsible, neglectful government. No wonder they want to get rid of the evidence. Why would you give them any credence? Towns like Elmira that are on the move to a thriving, stable downtown know that historic preservation is a vital component of that. The state offers $10 million that would restore the pool and replace the neglected, decayed splash pad/playground equipment. The part the city would have to pay on that grant is probably about half of what they have budgeted to tear the pool down and put up the pad/equipment. Add it up. It doesn't take rocket science. It costs nothing to apply for the grant. If the state is willing to undertake the restoration, why would anyone turn down the money? By the way, how often do you folks go to City Council meetings? How often to you contact your council reps? How often do you demand accountability, either of your reps or of yourselves? Does it not bother you that in the last 9 years, if you include the current budget proposal, the City will have raised our taxes by about 25%? Does it not bother you that the City doesn't fine delinquent landlords, whose failure to keep up their properties reduces the value of your homes? Does it not bother you that our City leaders don't try to find ways to reduce our taxes?.....
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