HomeMy WebLinkAboutBogert Park Public Comment from Mike England 5-12-14 April 10, 2014
City of Bozeman
26 E. Mendenhall
Bozeman, MT 59715
Re: Two compliments and two complaints
I've been thinking about these things individually for a while now,figured it was time to sum
them up in a letter.
1. The hockey rink at Bogert Park is an excellent community resource and I thank you for
providing it.Many Bozeman residents love hockey but cannot participate in BAHA,for various
reasons,and find the other rinks insufficient or incompatible with other skating. The only
improvement would be more regular resurfacing;oftentimes I find the rink empty as the '/4-inch
layer of shaved ice renders hockey impossible.
2. The downtown parking attendants need better training. They seem to have an agenda,like
they've been told to issue as many tickets as they possibly can,rather than identifying
unequivocal violations and attempting to improve the parking situation.I and others have been
ticketed when we were trying to do the right thing,maximizing parking space,which necessitated
an unconventional action. Other vehicles go unticketed when they technically follow the rules,
but selfishly block other spaces. Spend a little time teaching your folks the big picture and how to
use their judgment,not just dumbly seeking out ways to issue more tickets.
3. Streamline is such a great service to the community and you deserve a hearty slap on the back
for supporting it. Free public transportation is one sign that a town has its head screwed on right.
4. The barbed-wire fence on the north side of Durston,between N. 7 b and N. I Ph,is a safety
hazard. It sits right alongside the sidewalk,no gap or buffer whatsoever,and I've watched in fear
as kids walking home from school slip in the ice and narrowly miss slicing open their arms or
faces. This stretch of sidewalk is on my daily running route,and in the winter I have to veer out
into the street,causing safety and traffic issues. My main concern,though,is for all the kids who
plod along,day after day,oblivious to the danger right beside them. Even in other seasons it's a
problem, as bike riders often fly down that sidewalk,making pedestrians jump aside. I've
watched people get pushed right into the barbed wire,and bikers nearly crash into it.I really can't
believe the city ever allowed it to be erected so tight to the sidewalk. There are no horses or other
livestock in the fields beyond. Replace it with barbless wire or move it back a foot—no harm
done to the landowner,and a considerable improvement in public safety.
'n erely,
Mike England
1116 N. 8`b
Bozeman,MT 59715