The Way I See It!

Speaking of Flowers

Posted by Randy Hollenbeck on Jan. 18, 2010

Cudahy, Development, Economy

To go along with yesterday’s post, I have some news on “Cudahy’s Flowers” and the “Cute-Sifying" of downtown.

You may recall I did posts on this, if not you might want a fresher.

Cudahy "Cute-Sifying" Downtown

Actual Cudahy "Cute-Sifying" Downtown Paperwork

As you remember we had flowers down Packard Ave last year and we will not have them this year in 2010 (McCue told me that it didn’t matter we will have flowers when I asked him about cutting that expense), but in 2011 we will!

Why you ask we will not.

Well Packard Ave is going to have the streetscaping done.

Streetscaping?

Streetscape refers to urban roadway design and conditions as they impact street users and nearby residents. Streetscaping recognizes that streets are places where people engage in various activities, including but not limited to motor vehicle travel.  Streetscapes are an important component of the public realm (public spaces where people interact), which help defines a community’s aesthetic quality, identity, economic activity, health, social cohesion and opportunity, not just its mobility.

Streetscaping (programs to improve streetscape conditions) can include changes to the road cross section, traffic management, sidewalk conditions, landscaping, street furniture (utility poles, benches, garbage cans, etc.), building fronts and materials specifications. It also involves improving signage.

So with all of the streetscaping construction the flower baskets will not be utilized and flowers will not be purchased.

One of my friends said to me, “Why not put the flowers on Lake Shore Drive or Pennsylvania Ave?” 

Well, that is not downtown I said!  But wait, wasn’t Layton to Pennsylvania Ave in Mayor McCue’s eyes downtown and that was one of the reasons Wal-Mart could not come to the IcePort?  Yeah, but that is a different subject.

I am glad to hear we will not be spending taxpayer money on the flowers in 2010.  Too bad the council was too weak not to get them out of the budget for 2010, since the economy is still bad! 

But then who cares about $1500 or even $5000, that is chump change.  No biggie!

When you pull money out of your own pocket, then you are highly motivated to find inexpensive ways of doing successful things

“A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn’t own.”  —Frank Dane