Your tax dollars at play

I'll admit that I've taken out the ax and the grinder occasionally when it comes to Durham's parks. Perhaps it's because for a city that loves to get outdoors (see Duke Park on a nice day), Durham is sometimes behind the curve in providing satisfactory parks to its residents (see, well, Duke Park's city-owned vehicle parking or bathhouse debacle.)

I've somehow managed to sense at times a can't-be-bothered feeling from folks in Parks & Rec, particularly when questions about new parks or greenway trails come along.

I tend to think the following email snippet, written by a Parks & Rec staff member (in response to complaints about the renovated Oval Park by a parent - original message is behind the jump cut) and forwarded to the Watts-Hillandale list by Durham activist and recent County Commission candidate Don Moffitt, kind of speaks for itself, no?

“The water feature (and despite the complaints below, the kids do seem to enjoy it; you can make the water “flow” through the rocks and float leaves and stuff)…anyway, it does work. We had to turn it off because of the City’s water restrictions; all the outdoor spray ground features in all the parks are turned off right now.

Unfortunately, all plastic features in a playground get very hot in the sun – but there is not a material that’s durable that does NOT get hot (plastic, metal, wood, etc.).  That’s why shade structures are so popular now – and why Oval Drive is lucky to have the trees it’s got.

“Same old features” – well, at the community meetings the neighbors insisted on keeping the turtle and the climbing net. That didn’t leave us much room for new things.  Sorry.”

Is it just me, or is there a whiff of bureaucracy imbued between the lines on this message? A sense of heavy breathing over the keyboard, beads of sweat forming on the brow?

Be lucky you've got trees. Don't whine that your neighbors didn't want the reptile to go. You're wrong, the dang kids like it. Bread line's to your left, do you have your coupons?

New city manager Tom Bonfield made a point in his Monday afternoon press conference of mentioning great customer service as an important attribute for city staff. Now, TomBon's got that 1950s-era haircut down cold, but somehow, I don't think he was looking back to the Cold War era and Soviet-style bureaucracy as the model. Da?

...

In case you're wondering, here's the original message that inspired this, er, reply from the City Hall ranks:

"Am I the only one who doesn't "get" the "water feature"?    You push the button, water squirts out for about 7 or 8 seconds, and it immediately drains away.   What's the point?   Granted, my 2 1/2 year old grandson was interested because water was involved, but there's no aspect of if, that I can see, where children can enjoy it together.   All I observed were struggles (more like battles!) to get to the button, which is too hard for a child to push anyway!   At the risk of sounding like a cranky old lady, I have one more observation.   A little boy told me that when he got to the top of the climbing rock, it was too hot to touch with his hands.  Surely not!   There must be a material that could have been used which does not absorb that much heat.   Did anyone else notice this?   Okay - that's all.   I think overall the park looks lovely and t he amphitheater is especially nice.   However, I sure was hoping for more new features rather than the same old ones with a couple of inadequate additions.   Please someone enlighten me!"

Comments

[Valerie]

Seems a fine response to a self-described cranky email. And the water IS turned off all over town. The structures DO get hot on every playground in the world. Sounds like an awesome neighborhood playground. Can't wait to get those kinds of additions over in SW Durham. :)
~Valerie

[Tar Heelz]

While the staff response could have been a bit gentler, it strikes me as factually sound, unemotional, and informative. Contrast that with the tirade that triggered the (timely!) staff response.

There is plenty to complain about when it comes to City Staff and City government. However, only from within the ivory towers of Duke Park (and TP) would this strike anyone as a critical issue.

[Jonathan Jones]

The P&R department's email is fine. Definitely not bad customer service.

Bad customer service is letting Oval Park leapfrog those parks on the renovation that were supposed to be renovated with the 1996 bond money that are still waiting.

[Michael Bacon]

TH: Duke Park is an "ivory tower." You're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding.

For whatever reason, the Parks and Rec. department in this city is woefully inadequate. I've tended to suspect funding and apathy, but bureaucratic sclerosis can't be ruled out.

[Bull City Rising]

I dunno. Maybe my cranky-radar was off on this one. No doubt that the original correspondent was a bit grumbly in her note. Still, it's always been my impression that in dealing with the public, in any service-oriented job, you take the lumps that come in and respond to them as best you can, but always staying impeccable in tone.

Steve Medlin does this well; Frank Duke didn't, and I think that was a key difference between the two.

I guess the other thing that really bugged me about this was the poke back of "well, residents couldn't agree, insisted on keeping the old" play area equipment. Of course there's going to be differences of opinion from residents on things like this. Still, it just struck me there would be a more diplomatic way of approaching this...

@TH: Whether the email itself was good or bad customer service (and my senses may be off on this one), getting good customer service from the City is by no means an "ivory tower" issue.

[Lee]

I've been looking for that ivory tower in TP and can't find it. Does anybody know where it is? It sounds awesome.

[Tar Heelz]

Ok. The ivory tower bit was unnecessary. Better to point out that in a City like Durham, whether the climbing rock is too hot for junior on sunny days rightfully does not rate as a critical concern.

[Valerie]

It IS a critical concern whether or not our playgrounds are safe, and fun, and welcoming to our smallest residents. My point was that playground equipment gets hot. It's a known factor. They also get wet when it rains, and sand gets in your britches if you sit in the sandbox.

[barry]

And Oval Drive Park is on its 3rd (at least) renovation since the 1996 bond issue, while Northgate Park is still waiting on the renovations promised 12 years ago. And don't let's get started on the Duke Park bathhouse, empty and abandoned by the City of Durham since 1993.

And Tar Heelz, you really should just STFU. There's a nice 1200 square foot ivory tower for sale on Nancy St. in the Duke Park neighborhood for $78K. It's been on the market for nearly a year. I can't imagine why no one has snapped it up to turn into yet another neglected POS rental property.

[anan]

Kevin, I think it might be time to remind the readers of a little blog etiquette. I didn't see anything in Tar Heelz's message that warranted that kind of response, Barry, unless STFU doesn't mean what I think it does.

[Steve]

I suspect Beth Timson (the unnamed employee above) was a little miffed at people suggesting what the park should have after the fact -- there were lots of meetings and ways for people to give their input before decisions were made, and to have one of the first public responses following to be "yeah, that sucks" probably got under her skin. It would've mine.

On the other hand, I lived in Duke Park a while back and voted for the bond issue knowing confidently the issues there would be addressed, only to finally get (after lots of residents like Barry complaining) a nice play structure but "no money" to fix the old pool area and bathhouse. I have the same feeling now with this new food tax and the laundry list of things that might be addressed with the money. If it's not set in stone I'm not voting for it, that's for sure.

[jeanette Foster]

Disclaimer: I'm a State government employee, so I have a soft spot for us bureaucrats. I've also lived in Durham for nearly 30 years and I'm an avid observer of City government. In my experience, front line staff persons here -Public Works, Solid Waste, and yes, Parks and Recreation--are generally smart, courteous, and efficient. So rather than exercising your oh-so-clever wit on the poor Park maintenance person, who's probably as frustrated as anyone with a lack of resources, this blog might be better served to take on what seem to me to be Durham's real problems with getting City projects built. I see those as (1) business/financial practices that would make Kafka roll his eyes in wonder and (2) City Council members who would rather play to their own special interest groups than care about the good of the whole City.

[GreenLantern]

Oh puhleezz, people! Quit complaining. At least you have new playground equipment and don't have to worry about needles, trash, and beer cans all over the place. Oval Park this, Oval Park that...believe me, Oval Park gets plenty of good press in the newspaper and on TV. Just like the old days, right out of a Norman Rockwell painting! (Yes it's a quaint asset to the neighborhood, but let's just see how we can make it even more perfect by complaining to the city--we'll even start a petition to oust the city manager over this outrageous water feature!...)

This is yet another example how a public asset in a politically influential neighborhood has gotten more than its fair share of public support, despite the fact that relatively small and isolated parks like Oval serve a very small population in close proximity. It's easy to understand where the other side of town is coming from....

[dang]

wow. at first I was happy to have the park renovated. now I have survivors' guilt. thanks.

[Ellen Ciompi]

I live in the W-H neighborhood and I totally agree with Parks & Rec on this one. Residents were given many forums to provide input on the park BEFORE the renovations. I can't believe there is griping at this stage of the game, and I thought Beth Timson's reply was exceptionally measured....I would never have been able to restrain myself, personally. That's why she's in a position that requires some diplomatic skills, and I'm not.

As a "parent of a certain age" (both my kids are in their early 20s), I find the renovations a little sad, however. As a society we have opted for safety in such a huge, overwhelming way that we have taken away every chance for a kid to have an adventure. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating unsafe public areas or irresponsible parenting--as an operating room nurse, I have seen way more than my share of traumatic injuries to children. But gee, do the swings have to be so tame? Does the slide have to be so short and unimpressive? Why are seesaws now banned items? I remember when my kids "graduated" from the "baby slide" to the big one at Oval Park, how thrilled they were, and how much my husband and I cheered. Yes, it was way high, but that was the point.

I did not go to any of the park planning meetings because I felt that parents who use the park on a daily basis should have the input into this particular project, so I am not complaining. I honestly hope adults and children who use Oval Park are happy with the renovations and continue to make it one of the most used parks in the city. I'm just sorry the "WHEEEEE!" factor has been designed out of it, and every other, new playground everywhere. It's a trend that makes me rather blue.

Ellen Ciompi

[GreenLantern]

I'm right there with ya, Ellen! In my hometown long ago, I remember the tall metal slides, see-saws, roundabouts, and swinging so high to terrify me from having anyone push me any more than I could myself.

Unfortunately, our letigious society has determined that kids are so delicate that they can't ever suffer a bruise, a pinched-finger, a scrape on loose gravel, or a minor cut from having "fun". Any injury is a chance to sue for a windfall, hence the skyrocketing cost of liability insurance, and "tame" playground equipment. Besides, if any other parent witnessed you being so careless as to allow your child such horrible pain and suffering, you might have to face neglect or endangerment charges.

BTW, threatening to catapult my little brother off the see-saw was cruel, but fun...

[Valerie]

I'll have to hold up Duke Park and the newly renovated Pineywood Park as some very Wow! Durham parks. The creative equipment at Pineywood will challenge linear minds--full of twists & turns. Though my favorite "new" thing on playgrounds are the rock climbing walls.

[Betty]

Having dealt with numerous neighborhoods (WH, TP and FH) around park issues, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone and the idea that someone is complaining to P&R because the sun shines and makes things on earth warm to the touch is typical of many of the residents in these neighborhoods.

[supra for boy]

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