Friday, September 27, 2013

Clean Air

Please join me at the Main Library on Weds. evening for a discussion about clean air concerns.  Hopefully we will get some useful ideas.  Click on the poster for a larger, more readable size.



And Another One Bites the Dust

Literally...  my favorite downtown building at 125 S. Main will be razed for the new Performance Arts Center.  Officially, the RDA won't save it (other than some architectural features that will be used for display purposes in the new Center).

I also found out, contrary to my feeble memory, that the citizenry of this fine city & county were never given the opportunity to vote on this project.  $110 million or more for a performance center of dubious need that destroys the last of the great downtown historical interiors and we never had a chance to vote on it!

Then there's the mayor's brother...  


More on the Meters

The Downtown Alliance, using your tax money, recently published a survey touting the popularity of the new parking meters.  I looked into this survey a little further and found it significantly lacking.

First, the positive responses to the meters were almost exclusively based on the ability to use credit cards to pay for parking.  This make sense, and is a definite plus of the new technology, especially considering the increased parking rates.

I also noted on the Alliance web site that 75% of the respondents did not know that the meter hours had been extended until 8:00pm.  Who did they survey?  Daytime users?  The problem is not daytime parking meters, but the extended evening hours that discourage visits to restaurants and bars for nighttime entertainment.

Anyway, I stand by my campaign slogan:

FREE THE METERS!

PS...  for another view of the meters, check out this Trib column.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Street Fair Redux

Thanks for visiting us at the Avenues Street Fair.  The rain was welcome but shortened the event.  And thanks to all my volunteers who helped with the booth and especially with the wet teardown.


Friday, September 6, 2013

 2013 AVENUES STREET FAIR!
The Fair will be held on Saturday, September 7, 2013, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on1st Avenue between P Street and U Street.


Check out our booth (and way cool banner) at the Avenues Street Fair tomorrow.  Bring your friends.  Sign up for lawn signs.  Our booth is between Q and R streets on the South side.

See you there!



Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Meters, Business, Blight, and Parking

The Downtown Alliance recently published a survey that implied that a majority of respondents like the new, blue parking meters.  Of course, the vast majority of the "like" was the ability to use credit cards, certainly an advantage considering the parking rates.  The Alliance also noted on its web site that 75% of the respondents did not know that the meter hours had been extended.  Huh!  Who did this survey (at the taxpayer's expense)?

Anyway, that said, the Alliance claimed that downtown businesses want the extended hours because their employees were parking at the meters blocking customer use.  Well, let's see...  at night most people working downtown are service people, bartenders, cooks, wait staff, etc., the lowest paid workers (except for an occasional, exceptional, tip night.  Considering that public transit is dubious at night, I can understand why evening workers need parking.

However, the lots downtown are usually quite empty at night.  Why can't downtown businesses subsidize parking for their evening workers, making them happier, more productive, and allowing meter stalls for customers (reverting to free after 6:00pm) and therefore drawing more business downtown?  The City could help...

The old Zephyr Club has been an downtown eyesore for a decade...  I think it's about time for some City action to demolish the gutted building and use that space for evening employee parking.  The eyesore is removed, the City pays the demolition costs for the property owner, and the parking problems are solved.

Too simplistic I guess, but you get the idea.  There are better ways to solve our problems than discourage evening downtown visits.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Democracy and Parking

The SLC City Council meeting is tonight.  However, due to the extended parking meter hours, it will cost us $4.00 to attend.  I don't know why they couldn't use the smart functions in the meters to allow free parking for the meeting, but I guess the powers that be are not creative or generous enough.  Makes for a conspiracy theory, using extended parking hours to discourage citizens from involvement in city government...  Nah...

Monday, September 2, 2013

UTA Comes Through...

...at least on convenience.  UTA has announced a new FAREPAY card, preload with any value then use as needed, no expiration.  Finally... other transit systems have had this system for many years.  This card works great for those of us who use UTA but on an irregular basis.  Reduced fare cards available as well (for us geezers).  Good on buses, TRAX, and Frontrunner.  More details at this UTA page.