During the City Council informational meeting yesterday (FF: 46:00) Councilor Merkouris asked the finance director and the parks director what the operating costs would be for the new park. They said they wouldn’t know until 2025.
You are building a $16 million dollar facility and have NO idea what the operating costs will be?!
They played this same game with the Midco Aquatic Center which has become a bigger drain on subsidies every year and has never even come close to breaking even.
Before you purchase a home or car you know what your payments are and know what to expect for expenses, so why wouldn’t the city know what this place will need for operating costs?
Obviously a playground, splash park and dog park are NOT going to produce much revenue and any money made from user fees will easily be ate up with labor and other costs.
The councilors need to demand an operating figure before they vote to approve this, because refrigerating ice during a 60 degree winter is going to be spendy.
RIVER GREENWAY SHOULD BE CALLED THE RIVER GRAYWAY
There is nothing GREEN about our River Greenway! It often cracks me up when they call it this, all it is poured concrete with some crappy banners and goofy planter boxes. I have argued all along the River Greenway should just be a simple bike trail adorned with all kinds of native plants, that of course would save taxpayers millions in construction and maintenance costs and probably look a lot better. But I guess it is hard to attach a donor plaque to a daisy.