Dear Mayor: Here's what I'd like. You? (Phoenix, Mesa: crime, neighborhood)

[joninaz]

What's the ONE thing you'd like to see your city have - near you?

A pool, park, better library? Volleyball courts, soccer fields? A kid's complex, senior center? A hiking trail, or a big indoor hall where people figure stuff out themselves?

I'd like a decent community center that is focused on adults, not kids or seniors. Something open at night, where one can play some games, sports or try some arts. Something akin (but much smaller) to Mesa's art center, Chandler's rec center, Scottsdale's senior center (McDowell), etc. It need not be fancy, significant in design, or fully fleshed out in concept. Just a start.

You?

[cap1717]

Yes! Community Centers. . . .a place for people to gather for all sorts of interests and activities! A very recent great loss for our community is the loss of the Encanto Park Clubhouse for community based activities. Seems the parks department is in such financial straights that they are unable, without charging large fees, to make this space available for community groups, even those that have traditionally been "park sponsored" for many years. Let's see a greater variety of centers for neighborhood areas of Phoenix, and a return of the Encanto facilities as a centrally located location for city wide activities!

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by joninaz

What's the ONE thing you'd like to see your city have - near you?

A pool, park, better library? Volleyball courts, soccer fields? A kid's complex, senior center? A hiking trail, or a big indoor hall where people figure stuff out themselves?


You?

Possibly not exactly the point of your thread, Joninaz, but . . .

How about a SAFE and CLEAN CITY with NO CRIME and NO ILLEGALS as well as NO SPANISH SPEAKING DEMANDS and SIGNAGE?

All of the Special Facilities you mentioned are totally useless and a waste of taxpayer's money if the citizens feel uncomfortable taking advantage of them or they are trashed, destroyed and graffitied as soon as established.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Possibly not exactly the point of your thread, Joninaz, but . . .

How about a SAFE and CLEAN CITY with NO CRIME and NO ILLEGALS as well as NO SPANISH SPEAKING DEMANDS and SIGNAGE?

All of the Special Facilities you mentioned are totally useless and a waste of taxpayer's money if the citizens feel uncomfortable taking advantage of them or they are trashed, destroyed and graffitied as soon as established.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH

I agree with no illegals, but Spanish signage is a way of life in the Southwest. Mainly because the first Europeans to settle this area were of Hispanic origin. This is the reason why the West is full of names that are in Spanish; Los Angeles, Las Vegas, California, Montana, Colorado (state and river), Verde River, Agua Fria River, Catalina Mountains, Sierra Nevadas, Nevada, Texas (Tejas), San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Sedona, and the list is endless. This extends all the way to the Southeast where the oldest city in America is located; St. Augustine; a 443 year old Spanish settlement where Pedro Menendez first arrived in 1565. The date is still celebrated every year in the city. Santa Fe is the oldest capitol city in America and was founded in 1607. This area was known as the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico beginning in 1540; therefore, spanish is entangled in this regions history. That said, many of the Hispanics with in this country are undeniably American, but Spanish is a part of history here.

What I'd like to see in my city is continued downtown development and smart suburban growth (mainly, the elimination of leapfrog developments) as this will contribute to the region in a positive way.

[Bummer]

Absolutely, Fcorrales . . . Spanish Heritage is definitely one of the beauties of the Southwest.

However, "forced" speaking of Spanish and the proliferation of Spanish signage is a huge negative. It not only divides our State and Country but it also discourages the assimilation of Legal Immigrants by not encouraging them to learn English.

Bottom line . . . a Non-English speaking individual in this country will always remain a "second class citizen" . . . NOT why they originally emigrated!

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Absolutely, Fcorrales . . . Spanish Heritage is definitely one of the beauties of the Southwest.

However, "forced" speaking of Spanish and the proliferation of Spanish signage is a huge negative. It not only divides our State and Country but it also discourages the assimilation of Legal Immigrants by not encouraging them to learn English.

Bottom line . . . a Non-English speaking individual in this country will always remain a "second class citizen" . . . NOT why they originally emigrated!

I understand what you are trying to say but disagree that Spanish signage encourages Hispanics to not learn english. However, high concentrations of illegal immigrants that are not here to learn english or become American but are here to earn a quick dollar and move on do contribute to isolation and a lack of adaptation to American ways of life, including learning english. I do not believe in assimilation as this is the loss of cultural differences and historical traditions but I do believe in integration and multiculturalism (pluralism) as it is more beneficial and plausible. No one is forcing anyone to do anything by having signs in Spanish. If you don't read or speak it no one is asking you to learn to do either. Many countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France, etc. live within multi-lingual societies because more than one language is predominate; I understand many Americans fear this nonetheless and it wasn't accepted overnight in Europe but evolved over centuries.

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

I agree with no illegals, but Spanish signage is a way of life in the Southwest. Mainly because the first Europeans to settle this area were of Hispanic origin. This is the reason why the West is full of names that are in Spanish; Los Angeles, Las Vegas, California, Montana, Colorado (state and river), Verde River, Agua Fria River, Catalina Mountains, Sierra Nevadas, Nevada, Texas (Tejas), San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Sedona, and the list is endless. This extends all the way to the Southeast where the oldest city in America is located; St. Augustine; a 443 year old Spanish settlement where Pedro Menendez first arrived in 1565. The date is still celebrated every year in the city. Santa Fe is the oldest capitol city in America and was founded in 1607. This area was known as the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico beginning in 1540; therefore, spanish is entangled in this regions history. That said, many of the Hispanics with in this country are undeniably American, but Spanish is a part of history here.

What I'd like to see in my city is continued downtown development and smart suburban growth (mainly, the elimination of leapfrog developments) as this will contribute to the region in a positive way.

Dear Mr Mayor:

I agree with the above assessment as to why the Southwest has so many states and cities and counties with Spanish names.

But, Mr Mayor... Could you PLEEZ get somebody to stop inserting all of those ridiculously stoopid, cutesy-sounding, overly-lengthy Spanish names all over the place - on just about every subdivision, and on every street and avenue, and desert-stripped corner of Phoenix?

It was really okay to a point, Mr Mayor... but, even across all of Arizona its getting to be a bit much, you know? Seriously, Mr Mayor, if I see one more Avenida de Las Aguilas, or Camino Punto de Placer, or Calle de Las Grande Tortugas...

...I swear to you, Mr Mayor... I'm a'gonna HEAVE... (!) ...

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by ZonyPony

Dear Mr Mayor:

I agree with the above assessment as to why the Southwest has so many states and cities and counties with Spanish names.

But, Mr Mayor... Could you PLEEZ get somebody to stop inserting all of those ridiculously stoopid, cutesy-sounding, overly-lengthy Spanish names all over the place - on just about every subdivision, and on every street and avenue, and desert-stripped corner of Phoenix?

It was really okay to a point, Mr Mayor... but, even across all of Arizona its getting to be a bit much, you know? Seriously, Mr Mayor, if I see one more Avenida de Las Aguilas, or Camino Punto de Placer, or Calle de Las Grande Tortugas...

...I swear to you, Mr Mayor... I'm a'gonna HEAVE... (!) ...

LOL! Wow, that is annoying. Take a right on Camino Punto de Placer and continue to Calle de las Grande Tortugas. Half a block to Avenida de Las Aguilas to...LOL! Are there really streets named like that?

[Ponderosa]

Stop spending money on public parks, pools, and similar gathering places. They attract criminals, gang bangers and losers to otherwise nice parts of town - the tragedy of the commons. Privatize all public recreation areas and charge hefty fees for their use to keep out undesirable elements. And quit wasting money on light rail. Tell the self-important Yuppies to ride the bus if they want public transportation.

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

LOL! Wow, that is annoying. Take a right on Camino Punto de Placer and continue to Calle de las Grande Tortugas. Half a block to Avenida de Las Aguilas to...LOL! Are there really streets named like that?

Not necessarily...

But, you just know that somewhere out there, there is currently a meeting with contractors, and/or city planning & zoning...

...and there's gotta be some well-meaning dude carrying those names around in his little notebook in his hip pocket!

Gawd help us...