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Editorial: A new idea for the new park
Published Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The deal for the city to purchase the Mexico Lindo property is a good one, but we have an out-of-the-box suggestion for the site, too.
Here’s the money part:
The city pays $25,000. The remaining $470,000 is donated. The city would have to pay $14,000 to remove asbestos, and it would use some of its labor to tear the former restaurant down. It’s a bargain.
There were other concerns, though. Councilor Al “Minnow” Brooks had it right when he was worried about it becoming nothing but grass. He voted for it because, fortunately, as parkland, it has many possibilities. Being next to the channel — the start of the Shell Rock River — it obviously has appeal to anglers.
But it also could be a site for a pavilion or restrooms or both.
So here’s our idea:
We urge the city to consider those two options and more: Adding an amenity not found in the Albert Lea parks system.
Considering this is a high-traffic site that someday could be part of a master plan for the channel between the lakes, we urge the city to consider a pavilion with restrooms that would have space to lease to a food provider.
Our example comes from Tin Fish at Lake Calhoun in the Minneapolis parks system. The vendor Tin Fish leases the space in the pavilion overlooking Lake Calhoun. Customers walk up to a window, order and pay for food and drinks, then wait a few minutes to hear a number, then get their food at a second window. They sit at tables, some under the pavilion and some in the sunshine.
Moreover, because it is near Lake Street and at the junction of bike trails, the Lake Calhoun pavilion is at a high-traffic site for bikes, pedestrians and autos.
The channel already is on a high-traffic street: East Main Street. And it is popular among people who like to fish. Now imagine if the path that someday will connect Fountain Lake bike and foot traffic to the Blazing Star Trail goes through or near the new park, it would only make having a food vendor all the more appealing. The vendor would draw people to the park and, in the long run, benefit the park budget.
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Comments
Posted by menace56 (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Awesome idea!!
Come on city leaders, let's make this a go...
Posted by realtree (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
could just walk next door to subway too!!! without spending more money the city does not have!
Posted by NoDFL (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 4:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonder if the business will be up to the new design standards? Why not buy up the china resturant? How about the car repair shop? Subway? Next we will need a bridge for the bikes and all the people crossing the road. Why stop there why not all the way to Walgreens? Lets take out that factory and make the old Farmstead site all green space with shops owned by the city and run by city workers. We could increase employment by putting all these guys on the pay roll and making them join the union. Then we can increase property taxes to pay for the great park by the channel.
Waste of money..... We all wonder why the city is broke...
Posted by Intheknow (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its kind of like going out for dinner and drinks - and then expecting someone else to pick up the tab. Everytime.
Maybe this explains the mentality of our current city leadership (city manager).
Quality of life - but someone else pays.
Posted by savypro (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 5:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well i hope they put up some of those fancy street lights there too!
Posted by Warhog (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Realtree hit that out of the park to speak......................... Why do this when there is stuff within walking distance of the park, bathrooms OK, city approved vendor NOT OK.
One other thing somebody should address the park being next to the U.P. main line, the park better have a fence in this area before somebody has a accident with a train.
How about improving the business climate to encourage the growth of business in the town, that would make a bigger difference for the good than this. A park is good, but location of the park not so much, but it's better than the empty building I guess.
All this can be done without busting the budget, I don't think so.
Posted by Intheknow (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 8:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So its a done deal - but once again the city manager has failed to negotiate for the good of the city.
Sure, it seems like a fabulous deal but not when the teardown and maintenance costs are figured in.
They couldn't have given it away to any nonprofit because knowing the asbestos issue, who would take it.
And at least the city mananger could have negotiated a broader use option on the property.
Doesn't anyone have any business sense?
Its just one mistake after another. Aren't we fed up with victoria learning to be a city mananger on our dime?
Posted by NoDFL (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes we are but we are fed up with the city council not listen to the people of Albert lea as well.
Posted by mankind (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 9:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe the council did listen to the people NoDFL. Did it ever occur to you that you just might happen to be in the minority on this issue?
Posted by Intheknow (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mankind - interesting that this was a closer vote (4 to 3) than expected considering that it was pushed as such a great deal.
Perhaps Council members are catching on to the fact that maybe they don't have all the information they should be provided with by the city manager or that they should keep asking questions and even seek outside advice from a business saavy contact?
Posted by allake (anonymous) on October 28, 2009 at 11:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mankind,
I like most people, support this concept. I think the problem with what happened, and why it was a split vote, is that once again there was a poor job of negotiating by city staff.
Posted by nesaajr (anonymous) on October 29, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How about a rental and bait shop too?
Rent Bikes, bike trailers along with Canoes, Kayak's and small boats for fishing. Add Bait and a small fishing tackle shop.
Leave the food to all the establishments already in operation and paying taxes.
I list bait as I was in Albert Lea yesterday and could not find a single place out of 5-stops with live minnows for bait, found nightcrawlers but no minnows.
Pretty sad to have a City like Albert Lea with the Lake emphasis and no bait dealers apparent.
PS: Did not try WALLY World (Walmart) as I personally do not shop there and refuse too.
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