Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's an easy way to get a park built that didn't have funding.
That is a cynical way to look at it and kinda icky in itself - that it takes a mass murder in some other state to get money for a park in Charlotte, NC . . . ????
I think having another park is a great idea! Why couldn't we do it in honor of the educators of the area, whose dedication is surely never recognized enough in ANY city. That would be a nice group to honor.
It would be interesting to know how the statue came to be there (donated? purchased?) In any case, I would like to see it - that is worth making a trip for.
If I recall correctly, the statue was built with private money and donated to the city. Not a single cent of taxpayers' money went into its construction, so I don't understand how it's analogous to this playground.
“This project is about bringing the community together to remember those lost in Newtown,” said Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Director Jim Garges. “What better way to remember the 26 students and teachers than a playground designed and inspired by children.”
Construction of the playground will begin in spring 2013 and will take about four or five days to complete. Hundreds of volunteers are expected to help with the playground build.
The project is expected to cost about $250,000. The department has secured $100,000 in Park and Recreation bond money; the rest will be sought through private donations.
----
I'm pulling all public records on this so if something goes bad we'll know who to point to.
It would be interesting to know how the statue came to be there (donated? purchased?) In any case, I would like to see it - that is worth making a trip for.
If I recall correctly, the statue was built with private money and donated to the city. Not a single cent of taxpayers' money went into its construction, so I don't understand how it's analogous to this playground.
It isn't, except that the point was being made about how something that doesn't seem to really relate to our city can still be in our city.
I think with Gandi - his message was universal . . . so I don't find that as much a stretch as I do a playground located states away from some awful horrific event that had no more to do with Charlotte than with any other city in the USA.
When I moved to Kansas, I immediately noticed a school had been named for Christa McAuliffe (a teacher, who died in the Challenger explosion - 25 years ago yesterday). It took me a few seconds to make a connection - and then it hit me . . . Kansas' state motto is: Ad Astra per Aspera - "to the stars through difficulty." And mission control uses the same motto (I noticed on a patch on someone's jacket sometime in the past).
So at least I could make a connection with why a school in Kansas would decide to honor Christa McAuliffe, even though she had not lived or taught in Kansas.
I can't make any sort of connection between a tragedy in Connecticut and a park in South Charlotte, and find the whole thing weird, morbid and unseemly to fixate on another community's mass murder. Who wants to memorialize something so awful - outside the community where it took place?
Just really really high on the inappropriate scale, IMHO.
Don't we have anything that can be celebrated here rather than borrowing someone else's tragedy for a park name?
“This project is about bringing the community together to remember those lost in Newtown,” said Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Director Jim Garges. “What better way to remember the 26 students and teachers than a playground designed and inspired by children.” .
I see a Director's job that doesn't need to exist if this is the only justification for spending a quarter of a million dollars on a bench, slide, and some rubber.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
