Comments on: Paper Chase

By: BlokeFromCharterOak

BlokeFromCharterOak — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:09:49 +0000

With all due respect while I’m new to Reston and haven’t yet made up my mind on whether I should support or oppose the notion of an indoor recrational facility your first point should be pretty obvious. If you have a person who is an ardent supporter of this measure how likely WILL they be to speak up to make themselves heard at a public forum in which they feel as if the opposition is hostile? Speaking from prior experience at city council meetings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, if and when someone ever praised the mayor for doing a good job, he or she would be BOOED and made to feel extremely insignifcant. The mayor just won his third term handily on BOTH tickets in the primary elections this Spring, indicating he is indeed rather popular, but any supporter of his efforts now REFUSES to speak up in public for fear of backlash. I’d imagine in the same manner, any supporters of the proposed government health care option would feel similarly unwelcome if they were in attendance at the recent town hall meeting in Reston in which the opposition was very unprofessional and disrespectful (some of whom even had to be escorted out like children, and that’s sad considering I’m nearly a child myself).

If I DO decide to support the notion of a new indoor recreational facility, then what exactly would I have to “gain” from speaking PUBLICLY about it other than garnering myself a public black eye and a barrage of immature booing and hissing from those in the “pack mentality” opposition? For God’s sake I went to the first Reston Land Use College session back in June, and even THERE people were being disrespectful to one another in what SHOULD have been a more civilized discussion. It’s apparent there’s a strong “old guard” contingent in Reston who have lived here since the 1970s and don’t want to let any of the newbies who have moved here in the 2000s to have any sort of input into what happens to the future of the community. I happen to be a PROPONENT of increasing density in Reston to preserve our open space while also permitting more people to move here to enjoy our community, but I know if I spoke up about this at a meeting I’d be subject to more booing and hissing. Some people really just need to grow up, learn to RESPECT the opposition, and instead of trying to intimidate them out of permitting their voices to be heard try to counter them intelligently in some lively debate.

By: Adrian

Adrian — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:17:13 +0000

Leila Gordon says: “There are Restonians that want a new facilities.” If so, why don’t any of them show up at the meetings. Having been to three I have yet to see anyone stand up and make an argument for a $50 million plus facility that would be erected at Brown’s Chapel.
2. On the Brailsford and Dunleavy study that cost $91,000. Is that in totality or were expenses not counted and how much were they? Also, when a rep from B&D sits on these meetings is that part of the total package or is RA getting billed by the hour?
3. On the bond that may be issued. Will it be a revenue bond or a GO? Will a fee be paid to get it rated of will money be saved by being a desirable instrument and thus will go out as NR?

By: kevin

kevin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:22:22 +0000

I agree with you on this one. I hate when people put stuff on my car. I usually don’t notice when I get in and then see it as I am driving. My conscience usually gets the better of me and instead of waiting for it to fall off I have to pull over to remove it. Lots of fun especially if it is raining. This isn’t just an annoying practice, it can be dangerous.

Hand it to me and then I have to option to take it or not.

By: southlakesmom

southlakesmom — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:19:34 +0000

It occurs to me, late, that while anyone has the right to express themselves on this issue, they don’t have the right to touch other people’s property to do so. Flyers on cars are messing with other people’s property. Standing outside the swim meet and offering people flyers as they left would have been better.

By: kevin

kevin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:10:44 +0000

Leila, let me echo the other comments – it is not a surprise to anyone that Restonians want a facility, just not on Brown’s Chapel Park and either not with our money or sized for Reston.

It’s not your group but why didn’t RA address the proposal to remove Brown’s Chapel from consideration so that a clearer conversation on a rec center can take place.

The surprise on people expressing themselves is that when someone supports the rec center the RA/RCC boards seem to celebrate and send it on an email trip to one another. Yet when one hundred people speak in opposition you do your best to ignore it. Your hearing seems to be incredibly selective.

Everyone has a right to speak and everyone should be listened to equally.

By: southlakesmom

southlakesmom — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:53:42 +0000

I’m glad to know RA didn’t pay for the flyers — that was my only concern on this particular point. Of course everyone has a right to express their opinion on the issue. It’s what tomorrow is all about!

It would have been nice to put something on the flyer that said it wasn’t from RA and RCC.

I like Kathy’s solution in terms of it being near the Wiehle stop and not out of RA’s coffers. I don’t really want the county to pay for it either. I’d like to see the market, i.e. developers take a crack at this one. My taxes are already too high.

By: Kathy Kaplan

Kathy Kaplan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:49:09 +0000

I’m in favor of a new indoor rec center if it’s walking distance from Wiehle Metro stop and the county pays for it.

By: LeilaGordon

LeilaGordon — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:23:42 +0000

To everyone who stops in here to catch up on the latest news about this issue:
The flyers mentioned by the poster, southlakesmom, did not come from RCC or RA. I know it may be very hard for many people to believe, but there are Restonians who want a new facility. They have as much right to express themselves in favor of that as anyone who is opposed does.

By: southlakesmom

southlakesmom — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:54:06 +0000

Oh, to add a comment to my own post. There IS a survey on the RA site — it’s the same survey handed out at the community meetings. At the HWES meeting you HAD to fill one out before you were allowed to talk. But the survey just asks you to rank amenities in importance, not whether or not you WANT a rec center at all or what your reasons against one might be…