Readers On Library Use

Last week readers responding to the poll indicated their use of the public library:

Q: How frequently do you, or an immediate family member, use the public library?

• Weekly 41 [33.06%]
• Monthly 27 [21.77%]
• A few times a year 20 [16.13%]
• Rarely 19 [15.32%]
• Never 10 [8.06%]
• Daily 6 [4.84%]
• Other: 1 [0.81%] – “2 – 3 x weekly, various branches”

I guess it’s good that just 8% indicated they never use their public library. I wasn’t sure what to expect, weekly was the answer with the most responses, followed by monthly. When the central library reopens this year I’ll be there often hopefully. The original post is here.

– Steve Patterson

Rams Proposal For Edward Jones Dome Calls For Significant Changes To Structure And Broadway

As promised, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster released the confidential proposal from the St. Louis Rams to the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC).

To Whom It May Concern:

In compliance with Chapter 610, the Missouri Sunshine Law, Attorney General Chris Koster made the following documents publicly available in response to various media inquiries and Sunshine requests regarding ongoing negotiations between the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission and its lessee.

Respectfully,

CHRIS KOSTER

Attorney General

Their proposal is significantly different than what the CVC had proposed. To me it seems like a new facility given how much would be entirely new.

This means the dome is getting significantly larger than it is currently. The near corner of the drawing above includes access to the casino tunnel. The 2010 image below shows you where that is currently:

As you can see that’s a lot of new building. Clearly the Rams want more than the lipstick the CVC proposed (see CVC Plan To Improve Dome Improves Broadway).

This brings up several thoughts:

1. Perfect excuse to make 4th & Broadway each two-way rather than the current one-way configurations
2. This would work well with the boulevard replacement of the I-70 elevated lanes, see CitytoRiver.org
3. Unlikely the St, Louis region is going to pony up the money for this.

I haven’t read the proposal in detail yet. You can read the proposal here.

– Steve Patterson

Missouri Transportation Meetings Not Accessible Via Transit

Missouri wants your input into our future transportation needs:

Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley recently formed a Blue Ribbon Citizens Committe on Missouri’s Transportation needs which will be holding public meetings across the state in the next several weeks. The committee is being chaired by Rod Jetton and Bill McKenna, and they will be looking at total transportation needs in the state. (Source: CMT-STL)

The first such meeting is at 1pm today at 14301 South Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017. I’d like to attend but guess what, I can’t physically get there — at least not safely. I can get close after an hour or so ride on MetroBus but getting from the bus stop into the building safely looks impossible. The following is from a MoDOT Customer Relations Manager:

“One of the presenters at this meeting also uses a wheelchair and I know he will address the importance of access as the committee considers the transportation needs of Missourians. The area that you’re referencing is not a state road but I am familiar with it. I believe the bus stops at a paved shoulder then there’s a sidewalk and crosswalk across the street from the meeting site.”

Most likely the presenter will drive, or be driven, to the meeting. A shoulder? They expect me to get off the bus onto the shoulder of Woods Mill Rd? The few sidewalks that exist don’t have  curb cuts and their scarcity means I’d be a sitting target on the roads or in parking lots. I don’t expect the Blue Ribbon Panel to understand since most represent businesses/industries that profit from keeping Missouri locked into the auto culture:

Committee members include:

• Mr. Ben Jones, Union Pacific Railroad
• Mr. Blake Hurst, Missouri Farm Bureau
• Mr. Estil Fretwell, Missouri Farm Bureau
• Mr. Brian Meisel, Lake of the Ozarks Economic Development Council
• Mr. Duane Michie, First State Bank and Trust
• Mr. Joe DeLong, DeLong’s Inc.
• Mr. Len Toenjes, AGC of St. Louis
• Mr. Neal St. ONge, Coldwell BAnker
• Mr. Rick Neubert, Delta Concrete Inc.
• MR. Tom Crawford, Missouri Trucking Association
• Mr. Tony Thompson, Kwame Construction
• Mr. Dan Mehan, Missouri Chamber of Commerce
• Mr. Ed DeSoignie, The Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City
• Mr. Jim Anderson, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
• Mr. John Nations, Metro
• Mr. MArk Stidham, Dexter City Adminstrator
• Mr. Randy Verkamp, Phelps County Presiding Commissioner
• Mr. Scott Smith, HNTB Corporation
• Mr. Tom Dunne, Fred Weber, Inc.

The list is from CMT.

The other meetings are:

• May 21 – MoDOT Northwest District Office, St. Joseph, MO
• June 1 – Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Springfield, MO
• June 29 – Show-Me Center, Cape Girardeau, MO
• July 9 – ARC City Activity Center, Columbia, MO
• July 23 – MoDOT Northeast District Office, Hannibal, MO
• August 6 – Gamber Center, Lee’s Summit, MO

I doubt I could get to any of these safely.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: City Justified In Clearing Out Homeless Camps?

For a couple of years some homeless had set up camp near the riverfront. But that’s changing:

Hopeville was the second of three riverfront camps that the city plans to clear by May 18. The first, Dignity Harbor, was bulldozed last week. Officials said they have offered housing vouchers to residents of all the camps so they can stay in hotels and apartments. (STLtoday.com on 5/11/2012)

I visited Hopeville last year and while I was sympathetic to their situation I was also repulsed by what I saw.

The poll this week asks if the city was justified in clearing out these camps. The poll is in the right sidebar below the advertisement.

– Steve Patterson

Grouphug St. Louis 2011 Was A Blast, 2012 Should Be Too

One of the funnest events I participated in last year was Grouphug St. Louis:

Same as last year: we are asking you and your friends to scour the city for your favorite people, places, and objects—ones that define our city and/or help to explain why you love St. Louis—and HUG these subjects for the camera. Get a friend to snap a photograph of you with your arms wrapped around your favorite St. Louis building, business, monument, person, etc. On May 26, all participants and friends are invited to attend the Grouphug party to view pics, imbibe, listen to music and express your love for St. Louis.

The creativity on display in the images and energy at the event was electrifying!

The following are the 2011 top three (click to view larger image):

But the name is Grouphug — the organizers would like to see some group images:

We strongly encourage you to get with your neighbors and represent your neighborhood. Whether it’s Fox Park or Ferguson, the Hill or the Ville—we’d love to see you and your neighbors’ take on what represents your neighborhoods (involving hugs of course!).

Click here for an example of a group Grouphug image. Submission deadline is 5pm Wednesday May 23rd and the big event is Saturday May 26th 7pm-10pm (details).

– Steve Patterson