Pictures Don't Lie

[WNYresident]

Good for YOU. That is the only way to change things...do not FEEL bad that you had to resort to sharing the pictures. Something will get done now!

Here is another issue people don't think about. You have a choice.. You can pay 100's or in NYS's case 1000's of "administrators" in government 6 figures/unrealistic bene's or hire at reasonable wages actual workers to handle this type stuff.

[jenrose66]

I know it's short notice but YNN is going to be at the Center Street Playground at 4pm to show the disrepair of the playground and interview people. If anyone wants to come that would be great!

[jenrose66]

I guess the story will air on YNN tonight around 10 and then again at 11. If you don't get Time Warner Cable the story should be posted on the website by 11pm...just in case anyone wants to see what the playground looks like on TV. I think it will be a successful story, once people in the neighborhood saw a camera they came by to talk, it wasn't just me...and funny thing, another mom who was talking to the reporter had the exact same feelings as I had about how unsafe the playground is and she also had the same ideas as me for making it nicer. I will not feel bad or like no one agrees with me anymore, it's just most people feel helpless to take the first step or are overwhelmed as to where to start. So here is to baby steps to making this a vibrant and safe play space for our children

[andreahaxton]

I guess the story will air on YNN tonight around 10 and then again at 11. If you don't get Time Warner Cable the story should be posted on the website by 11pm...just in case anyone wants to see what the playground looks like on TV. I think it will be a successful story, once people in the neighborhood saw a camera they came by to talk, it wasn't just me...and funny thing, another mom who was talking to the reporter had the exact same feelings as I had about how unsafe the playground is and she also had the same ideas as me for making it nicer. I will not feel bad or like no one agrees with me anymore, it's just most people feel helpless to take the first step or are overwhelmed as to where to start. So here is to baby steps to making this a vibrant and safe play space for our children

BRAVO!
Let's hope this squeaky wheel gets the oil!

Geoff told me he was going to use the money from the Ford Escape that Normie bought without Council approval in 2008....." for the playgrounds ".....

Go-Go-Go jenrose!

[gorja]

http://buffalo.ynn.com/content/top_s...er-playground/

[getalife123]

Great job jenrose.

[highestpropertytaxes]

Geoff told me he was going to use the money from the Ford Escape that Normie bought without Council approval in 2008....." for the playgrounds ".....

Does Geoff use that city owned car?

Congratulations to you Jen for taking action to make a difference!

[andreahaxton]

Does Geoff use that city owned car?

Congratulations to you Jen for taking action to make a difference!

Yes he did!

All of it is sooooooooooo crooked, it is worse than the crookedest street in San Francisco!

[jenrose66]

I am speaking to another reporter from the Buffalo News who is interested in doing a story on the playgrounds in Lackawanna. If anyone would like to speak up about this too send me a private message with your name and phone number and I will forward the information on (if you post anonymously I promise I won't out you ). Parents, this is your chance, to see real change I need to show it's not just me who cares about this.

[WNYresident]

Saw something on this last night on CNN. Great job.

If funding becoming available, maybe a group of parent could get together and discuss the most economical way to spend it on each playground. Just because someone got elected doesn't mean they are bright. It just means they won a popularity contest in some cases.

[jenrose66]

Saw something on this last night on CNN. Great job.

If funding becoming available, maybe a group of parent could get together and discuss the most economical way to spend it on each playground. Just because someone got elected doesn't mean they are bright. It just means they won a popularity contest in some cases.

I think it would be great to have a community meeting about this. There is a great resource called Kaboom and it's all about how to fund playgrounds and design an efficient playspace.

Also, I am not combative. I will be the first to say if someone has done a good job. According to the report on YNN yesterday our ward is getting $150,000. That was the first I've been aware of that. However, the council should understand that as a community we have heard it all before...our playgrounds didn't even get the $2500 we were promised last year so $150k is like too good to be true. When I finally see that the kids at Center Street have a safe place to play I will post those POSITIVE pictures and give credit where credit is do. I'd much rather have happy things to say rather than complaining all the time.

[WNYresident]

However, the council should understand that as a community we have heard it all before...

It's because most life time politicians are well versed in lip service 101.

[andreahaxton]

I think it would be great to have a community meeting about this. There is a great resource called Kaboom and it's all about how to fund playgrounds and design an efficient playspace.

Also, I am not combative. I will be the first to say if someone has done a good job. According to the report on YNN yesterday our ward is getting $150,000. That was the first I've been aware of that. However, the council should understand that as a community we have heard it all before...our playgrounds didn't even get the $2500 we were promised last year so $150k is like too good to be true. When I finally see that the kids at Center Street have a safe place to play I will post those POSITIVE pictures and give credit where credit is do. I'd much rather have happy things to say rather than complaining all the time.

YEPPER!

I feel the same way......give me nothing to say, but nice things! I too like to give credit where credit is due!
My own playground story, (again)........

1. Moved in Beth Park Feb. 1989 ......took my 2 yr old dtr. to playground that spring...........
2. Broken glass, weeds, junky-broken equipment..........etc;
3. Went home and called my Councilman (Cuffy Caferro)........
4. He said, " Don't worry.....I have $40,000 coming for playgrounds "
5. I said, "WOW"---"Nice"!
6. He said, " But there are 4 Wards in the City "................
7. I said, "OK...$10,000 will still buy a lot of equipment"
8. He said, "BUT.....there are 4 playgrounds in the 1st Ward"
9. I said, " OK, $2500.00......will still buy something nice for the kids"

10. My dtr. is now 25.....and guess what happened with the $2500.00?
11. RIGHT! NOTHING! Nothing ever came!
12. I have been pleading for City playground improvements for 23 years!

13. Watch em' jenrose..... YOU are barking up the right tree! Just don't stop barking or fall for anything until you see it with your own eyes!

[jenrose66]

Hi all. I just wanted to update you on the progress made since I decided to try my hand at amateur photographer.

I did speak to John Haux the parks and recreation director this morning. He called me and was pleasant to speak with. I appreciated that he was honest about the situation the city's parks face. He informed me that a work order was put in and in the next couple days the rusty spikes (and I'm assuming the rotted wood) will be pulled from the playground. They are also going to attempt to repair the ramp with the big gap, however, if that can't be fixed it will be taken out, but the slides in that area will be left intact. Also, the broken metal on the fire truck jungle gym will be removed.

After speaking to John, I'm thinking the council either jumped the gun or wasn't completely truthful about the 150k per ward playgrounds. I was told that we pretty much have no money for playgrounds right now, save for the $2500 that is usually put aside (though never used). John says that he is currently looking for grants so that we can put an influx of money into the playgrounds to get some equipment. We then talked about the issue with the vandalized slide at the Martin Rd playground...I am sympathetic to that...I'm wondering if the parks would be well served in maybe security cameras so parents can be held responsible and fined for their kids bad behavior.

I took the kids to the playground today at lunch time and it was again very busy. There is yellow caution tape around the fire truck while awaiting repair and it looked like there was some fresh dirt put under the swings, at the bottom of slides and in some other areas with uneven ground...so that was positive. However, the grass is still way to long (which is baffling considering our lack of rain), the broken glass remains, and there was a lot of garbage (however, I blame that on poor parenting because there were lots of items that were from the lunches laying about...perhaps the playground watchers need to be a little more pushy in encouraging the unsupervised kids to pick up their trash)...I know it shouldn't be up to the playground watchers to pick up others trash, however, if they picked up the garbage after lunch every day (probably would take no more than 10 minutes), the park would remain in pretty good shape and they'd be setting a good example for the kids who saw this.

[getalife123]

I understand where your coming from jenrose but if the city doesn't have the $2,500 that was allocated last year, where do you think they are going to get the money for security cameras?, the Magic Money Tree. The questions that need to be asked are: Where is that money anyway?, or what did they do with it.
By the time they figure out how to apply for grant money, it will be winter and another year has gone by.
I'm glad to see that a little effort by the city has been made but nickel and diming a project doesn't work. I commend you for all your efforts, for your children's safety and the children of others.