I see you point, just out of curiosity how many baseball diamonds are there in Ann Arbor?

I still am mindful, as a kayaker/canoeist, who enjoys Argo Pond, that I am one of the ancillary types you speak so highly of in your citation, I feel overlooked.

I have come to enjoy the rowing community and respect amount of work it takes to row. I also enjoy my follow paddlers. It exciting to be such a handful.

Again thanks for the thoughts!

B

Estimated high school rowers: 70 student athletes from Pioneer both men and women; 65 student athletes from Huron both men and women; and 50 student athletes from Skyline. In addition, the University of Michigan Men has 69 rowers on its roster and AARC has an estimated 70 rowers.

Simple math leads to a sum of 324 rowers, which does not include parents and coaches. This does not include the summer program termed learn-to-row which includes people of all ages.

To help put this inter perspective:

From Websters: hand•ful (hand′fo̵ol′)
noun pl. handfuls -•fuls′

1. as much or as many as the hand will hold
2. a relatively small number or amount: a mere handful of people
3. Informal as much as one is able to manage; someone or something hard to manage

I believe that your dismissal of a “handful” of “kids and parents” is a bit condescending toward a group that deserves better. At a minimum, you attempt to diminish those engaged in rowing as irresponsible. It appears that you might have meant definition #3, unfortunately this is unclear.

In my humble opinion, you have missed the boat.

Boatman

Removal of the dam will improve the health of the river, save the city and state untold amounts of money, and end the safety threat. The dam has failed before, and I’m concerned that future failures could result in loss of life.

I hope no one takes this personally, because this isn’t my intention, but keeping a dam to appease a handful of high school kids and their parents, or for nostalgia, is irresponsible when the factors are honestly evaluated.

I bring this up since this project would have a very heavy impact on Fuller Park users, the cyclists, swimmers, soccer players, hikers and other, as well as on the Border-to-Border trail development. This addresses the bus traffic on the narrow site with a design and size that would also bring in a thousand more cars as well 24/7.
Gwen

“5.1 Traffic

5.1.1 Fuller Road

Projected traffic data was provided for 2010 and 2035. The traffic data included average daily traffic (ADT) values for Fuller Road, Maiden Land and adjacent streets. We were not provided with percent commercial traffic. We were requested by URS to estimate the percent commercial. The estimated commercial traffic volumes reflect the anticipated bus traffic at the Fuller Road Station, as we understand bus traffic at the station is expected to reach 500 busses per day. Therefore, we recommend a complete traffic study be performed which should include obtaining the percentages and types of commercial traffic present on Fuller Road and the adjacent streets. The study should be performed during the University of Michcigan fall/winter semester, when traffic volumes are expected to be at their highest. We recommend at least seven days of traffic volumes be collected. Therefore, our recommendations should be considered preliminary until actual percent commercial traffic is confirmed and reviewed by SME, following a complete traffic study as outlined above. . . .”

Preliminary Geotechnical Evaluation Report

Fuller Road Station – Ann Arbor, Michigan SME Project No. PG60321A

October 7, 2009 – Page 19

“5.1.2 Fuller Road Station

Specific traffic information for the Fuller Road Station was not provided. We assume traffic will consist of busses, occasional delivery/service trucks, refuse haulers, light-duty passenger trucks and automobiles. A heavy-duty section should be installed in areas that will receive bus traffic. Traffic estimates provided to SME by URS is as many as 30 buses per hour, for approximately 15 hours per day (450 busses per day). Including a 10 percent cushion to account for future expansion of the transit system, we have used an estimate of 500 busses per day in our calculations. We understand there may be less bus traffic during the weekend days. However, without actual weekend bus traffic counts at this time, we have assumed there will be no decrease in bus traffic, and that the 500 busses per day will also traffic the site on weekend days. ……..”

Page 20

I agree with Nancy, what this shows is that there is no protection for city parks. This issue of process – do citizens get to vote on giving a chunk of their park to the U, or not – is separate from the question of whether or not the parking garage is appropriate in that spot (instead of, e.g., on top of the new city lot at US 23 and Plymouth Rd). Mr. Coopers point that a parking garage is a better use of space than a parking lot accommodating equal numbers of cars is a good one; the case for putting a garage in Fuller Park has not yet, to my reading, been made.

I still don’t get the connection between the commuter parking garage, and a possible train station. I thought the point was that commuters are in cars because they DON’T take the train, and train commuters DON’T park their cars at their workplace. Has the University committed to never building parking or transit centers on Wall St. in the future? Can someone help me out?

Seems to me that giving up most of Fuller Park east of Fuller Rd, for the use of the University, for the benefit of people on Wall St. is something that the larger community is entitled to vote on.

I know Tim has served ably, and I’m very safe in assuming he serves at the continuing pleasure of the Recreation Advisory Committee.

Still, the fact that he has served seven consecutive years while as I understand it there is an informal six years and out amongst these citizen commission bodies (something the current mayor suggested) might raise an eyebrow or two to those paying attention in terms of the application of this convention…not sure if Tim is the only person in this capacity amongst the various commission bodies in the city in the “over six” capacity.

It would be up to the Recreation Advisory Commission to determine his continuation or replacement. I would suggest to Mr. Nelson he might direct his inquiries there.

The concrete structures of the dam are in very good shape, and pose no danger of collapse at any time in the near future. And the HVWC STILL doesn’t have a shred of published data on the health or lack thereof of Argo Pond. Their approach is about belief, not science (which I have no problems with, just be up front about it.)

Essentially, the City Council, by not voting on dam-in or dam-out, has opted for the status quo, which requires no vote. Dam out advocates lost that battle. Live with it; move on. Come back when you have a comprehensive and actionable plan for the entire stretch of river (even just the entire stretch within Washtenaw County) and we can talk about it all again.