NOV 1, 2017:
PLEASE NOTE that the petition below was submitted to the Garland City Council on Oct 17, 2017, along with personal testimony from a crowd of Garland citizens. In a 6-3 vote, the same 6 Council members voted without delay to proceed immediately with the plans to demolish the Armory ($700,000 tax value, est. $11 million replacement value) and jam the skate park and dog park in its place.
The Council's vote in the face of widespread citizen opposition was so shocking that Mayor Doug Athas announced his resignation and two Parks Board members followed suit.
In response to the Council's indefensible actions, a Citizen's Recall of District 2 City Council Member Anita Goebel was filed with the City and is now in progress, with other districts likely to follow suit.
IF YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT 2 (see map) AND ARE A REGISTERED VOTER, please visit RECALLANITA.COM for more information or EMAIL [email protected] to request one of our volunteers to bring the CITY RECALL PETITION right to your door for your signature.
________________________________________________________________________
THE CITY COUNCIL JUST MADE A MAJOR DECISION THAT IMPACTS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD--WITHOUT NOTIFYING OR CONSULTING US.
On Oct 2nd, six members of our City Council voted without any public notification or input from the neighborhood to bulldoze the Armory buildings at Central Park—(38,000 square feet which MakerSpace, a nonprofit community workshop and several other Garland groups have expressed interest in leasing)--and to instead spend $2.1 million in taxpayer money to build a skate park and dog park in that location.
By contrast, just last year the Council went through a very public process re: the dog park that resulted in the recommendation to locate it at Tuckerville, an undeveloped park off Hwy 66, and to build an adjacent skate park there. It involved public meetings and an online survey, then went to the Parks Board for review. The Parks Board approved that location.
The abrupt and unannounced shift of location to Central Park was unprecedented, and a seemingly deliberate choice by a few people in power NOT to involve citizens or even other City departments in this decision. A handful of people rammed this through without the normal public process.
The Parks Board wasn't asked to review the suitability of the Central Park location. Our neighborhood wasn't notified, even though we have an active Neighborhood Association. The Little League wasn't notified that they'd be losing a playing field at Central Park.
WE THE UNDERSIGNED ASK THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL TO:
1. STOP the bulldozers and all plans to demolish the old National Guard Armory—including spending any further money on design consultants--until a thorough review of potential plans and alternative uses of the property has been completed, involving the Parks Board and all interested citizens and groups. Wasting an expensive and functional building ($11 million replacement value) should be a LAST resort, not a flippant decision made by a few people.
2. LOOK at all plans and alternatives, including other sites or facilities in the City that might be better located and suited to the uses of a dog park and/or skate park and/or MakerSpace community workshop. The City’s own consultants and public hearing process identified an entirely different location for the dog park/skate park uses (Tuckerville), which was reviewed and recommended by the Parks Board. It’s also possible that the dog park and skate park should be in separate locations.
3. LISTEN to the citizens of Garland, including the neighborhoods most closely affected, the Parks Board, the South Garland Little League, the Pawsibilities dog park group, and all other interested parties, observing the same level of review and public transparency as was observed when considering placing the dog park at Tuckerville. Make a wise decision, not a hasty one.
Updates
October 24, 2017
Reaching one hundred signatures shows that our community is paying close attention to the future of the Armory. This initial response confirms that many residents share a deep concern about the plans currently in motion.
Reached 250 supporters
October 22, 2017
October 22, 2017
The recent resignations within our local government reveal the deep instability caused by disregarding public input. This process has become about more than just the park as it now highlights a fundamental disconnect between elected officials and those they represent.
Reached 100 supporters
October 22, 2017
153 Comments
The dog/skate park should be discussed with the area residents. A proper procedure was not followed. The money should be used to invest in reviving the already existing parks, instead of trying to attract outsiders.
My father retired from ANG Garland. My husband was there 11 yrs. It has a lot of fond memories for my family. The space needs to be repurposed. But this is not the right way. Public input for PROPER use should have been considered.
I support the voice of the local neighborhoods that are most affected by this decision to bulldoze & build a skate/dog park in their community. Maybe the question should be "Do any of the council want a skate park in their backyard?"
The Armory should be an Historic structure. I understand the appraised value is at least $700,000. Built at a time in our past when things were built to last; as opposed to now when things are built with a predetermined minimal lifespan.
Please do not spend needed money to tear down a building to build parks that the majority of the population will not use. Please use that money to replace our horrible roads. I'm sure the armory can be used for something, like maybe an indoor activity building that can be used by all ages year-round.
I'm in district 3.
Please do not tear it down. Garland has the worst roads, shopping centers and eateries than any town in Texas. Keep something of interest to the people or people will stop coming. I already go out of my way to not drive through Garland as it is not safe. I say keep the Armory.
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NOV 1, 2017:
PLEASE NOTE that the petition below was submitted to the Garland City Council on Oct 17, 2017, along with personal testimony from a crowd of Garland citizens. In a 6-3 vote, the same 6 Council members voted without delay to proceed immediately with the plans to demolish the Armory ($700,000 tax value, est. $11 million replacement value) and jam the skate park and dog park in its place.
The Council's vote in the face of widespread citizen opposition was so shocking that Mayor Doug Athas announced his resignation and two Parks Board members followed suit.
In response to the Council's indefensible actions, a Citizen's Recall of District 2 City Council Member Anita Goebel was filed with the City and is now in progress, with other districts likely to follow suit.
IF YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT 2 (see map) AND ARE A REGISTERED VOTER, please visit RECALLANITA.COM for more information or EMAIL [email protected] to request one of our volunteers to bring the CITY RECALL PETITION right to your door for your signature.
________________________________________________________________________
THE CITY COUNCIL JUST MADE A MAJOR DECISION THAT IMPACTS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD--WITHOUT NOTIFYING OR CONSULTING US.
On Oct 2nd, six members of our City Council voted without any public notification or input from the neighborhood to bulldoze the Armory buildings at Central Park—(38,000 square feet which MakerSpace, a nonprofit community workshop and several other Garland groups have expressed interest in leasing)--and to instead spend $2.1 million in taxpayer money to build a skate park and dog park in that location.
By contrast, just last year the Council went through a very public process re: the dog park that resulted in the recommendation to locate it at Tuckerville, an undeveloped park off Hwy 66, and to build an adjacent skate park there. It involved public meetings and an online survey, then went to the Parks Board for review. The Parks Board approved that location.
The abrupt and unannounced shift of location to Central Park was unprecedented, and a seemingly deliberate choice by a few people in power NOT to involve citizens or even other City departments in this decision. A handful of people rammed this through without the normal public process.
The Parks Board wasn't asked to review the suitability of the Central Park location. Our neighborhood wasn't notified, even though we have an active Neighborhood Association. The Little League wasn't notified that they'd be losing a playing field at Central Park.
WE THE UNDERSIGNED ASK THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL TO:
1. STOP the bulldozers and all plans to demolish the old National Guard Armory—including spending any further money on design consultants--until a thorough review of potential plans and alternative uses of the property has been completed, involving the Parks Board and all interested citizens and groups. Wasting an expensive and functional building ($11 million replacement value) should be a LAST resort, not a flippant decision made by a few people.
2. LOOK at all plans and alternatives, including other sites or facilities in the City that might be better located and suited to the uses of a dog park and/or skate park and/or MakerSpace community workshop. The City’s own consultants and public hearing process identified an entirely different location for the dog park/skate park uses (Tuckerville), which was reviewed and recommended by the Parks Board. It’s also possible that the dog park and skate park should be in separate locations.
3. LISTEN to the citizens of Garland, including the neighborhoods most closely affected, the Parks Board, the South Garland Little League, the Pawsibilities dog park group, and all other interested parties, observing the same level of review and public transparency as was observed when considering placing the dog park at Tuckerville. Make a wise decision, not a hasty one.
Updates
October 24, 2017
Reaching one hundred signatures shows that our community is paying close attention to the future of the Armory. This initial response confirms that many residents share a deep concern about the plans currently in motion.
Reached 250 supporters
October 22, 2017
October 22, 2017
The recent resignations within our local government reveal the deep instability caused by disregarding public input. This process has become about more than just the park as it now highlights a fundamental disconnect between elected officials and those they represent.
Reached 100 supporters
October 22, 2017
153 Comments
Reading information about other local skate parks strengthens my fears about such a facility in this neighborhood. Also I would hate to see more old trees torn down -especially to put on a park?
The dog/skate park should be discussed with the area residents. A proper procedure was not followed. The money should be used to invest in reviving the already existing parks, instead of trying to attract outsiders.
My father retired from ANG Garland. My husband was there 11 yrs. It has a lot of fond memories for my family. The space needs to be repurposed. But this is not the right way. Public input for PROPER use should have been considered.
I support the voice of the local neighborhoods that are most affected by this decision to bulldoze & build a skate/dog park in their community. Maybe the question should be "Do any of the council want a skate park in their backyard?"
The Armory should be an Historic structure. I understand the appraised value is at least $700,000. Built at a time in our past when things were built to last; as opposed to now when things are built with a predetermined minimal lifespan.
Please do not spend needed money to tear down a building to build parks that the majority of the population will not use. Please use that money to replace our horrible roads. I'm sure the armory can be used for something, like maybe an indoor activity building that can be used by all ages year-round.
I'm in district 3.
Please do not tear it down. Garland has the worst roads, shopping centers and eateries than any town in Texas. Keep something of interest to the people or people will stop coming. I already go out of my way to not drive through Garland as it is not safe. I say keep the Armory.
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Reading information about other local skate parks strengthens my fears about such a facility in this neighborhood. Also I would hate to see more old trees torn down -especially to put on a park?