The city blinked and they are officially dropping the plans for that fence at the park. I walked past the well this morning and felt such relief knowing this space will remain open and accessible instead of being turned into a cage. Thank you for believing that we deserved better …
May 8, 2015
Final supporters
The intention of the south fence is to establish a perimeter so the police can enforce park hours at night while keeping the well water available 24/7. The City reasons that if the park is closed, crime and maintenance issues will abate.
This is an example of the fear-based planning that has guided decisions from the start. The City has created a park with no place to sit and nothing to do. The park was opened before the completion of its original plans and has remained in that state for almost a year. The people who use the park are those willing to spend time sitting against a concrete wall. If we want to change the behavior at the well, we have to change the energetics of the space.We believe the unintended consequences of the south fence will create a much bigger problem than it solves.
We, community members who value the Artesian Commons Park and the Artesian Well, cannot support a fence along the south end of the park, for the following reasons:
1. The fence will create crowding around the well and adjacent parking spaces—especially at night—which negates the goal of making the well comfortable and accessible for people collecting water. A fence also cuts off the water—the central and original reason for a park—from the rest of the park.
2. The fence sends the wrong message. The addition of fences with high walls on all sides will make the park feel caged in, promoting negative behavior during open hours.
3. It’s costly, unnecessary and ineffective. With a price tag over $30,000, the fence is intended to address safety and security concerns. The park is currently surveilled 24 hours a day. The OPD has reported an increase in calls to the well at night, but this short sighted solution will only push that behavior onto the other side of the fence or out into the downtown community.
We believe there are more effective alternatives the community can support. However, installing a fence on the south end would be a costly mistake and does nothing to promote the creation of a positive culture at the Artesian Commons.
There are positive things happening! This Spring we will see the inclusion of a basketball hoop which will provide much needed recreation for downtown users and residents. We applaud the City Council for taking this positive step forward.
The problems of the Artesian Commons are the problems of this entire community. This is not a problem we can throw money at or police our way out of. This unique public space needs more community involvement! We need YOU to care about the park and find productive ways to spend time there. We call on yoga instructors, gardeners, food vendors, makers, musicians, djs and dancers, chess players, artesian enthusiasts, volunteer clean up crews, artists and basketball players with excellent sportsmanship to spend time at the Artesian Commons! We call on creative solutions! We call on the Power of 10! (http://www.pps.org/reference/the-power-of-10/)
We respectfully ask the city council to honor our community’s need for a more thoughtful and creative solution and revoke the catastrophic plans for a fence on the south end of the Artesian Commons. The park needs recreation, benches, and signage that reflects our community values. The rest is up to us.
Updates
March 16, 2015
The city keeps claiming this fence is the only path forward for our park but their refusal to engage with our actual ideas shows they are not listening. I walk past the site every day and it is painful to see them prioritize exclusion over creating a space where people can truly coexist.
March 16, 2015
Seeing this level of support confirms that I am not the only one who sees the heart of our park being walled off for no good reason. It feels like the city is finally forced to acknowledge that we care far more about a vibrant community space than a cage.
Reached 100 supporters
March 16, 2015
76 Comments
$30K for a fence that doesn't really address the issues at hand!?!?!???? You gotta be kidding me!!! Downtown Olympia desperately needs creative, compassionate solutions, not over-priced knee-jerk reactions.
Why fence off a community space less than a year after it was officially recognized as a city park? What message does a fence send to our Downtown community?
I know that a simple solution is the one that's favored by everyone. It would be wonderful if simply putting up a fence would solve the problem we have with the Artesian Commons Park. I urge the council to form a task force to look at the larger issue because this apparent solution will only lead to more people sleeping in doorways of businee
It's bad design. These are elemental decisions that should not be made by non-artists, designers, builders, or architects. How about an architectural design CFA selected by a jury, with a stipend of $30,000?
We don't want a fence keeping us in, we're not in prison and don't deserve to be treated like we are. The other parks around Olympia don't have fences around them, this park doesn't need it either.
duh!
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The city blinked and they are officially dropping the plans for that fence at the park. I walked past the well this morning and felt such relief knowing this space will remain open and accessible instead of being turned into a cage. Thank you for believing that we deserved better …
May 8, 2015
Final supporters
The intention of the south fence is to establish a perimeter so the police can enforce park hours at night while keeping the well water available 24/7. The City reasons that if the park is closed, crime and maintenance issues will abate.
This is an example of the fear-based planning that has guided decisions from the start. The City has created a park with no place to sit and nothing to do. The park was opened before the completion of its original plans and has remained in that state for almost a year. The people who use the park are those willing to spend time sitting against a concrete wall. If we want to change the behavior at the well, we have to change the energetics of the space.We believe the unintended consequences of the south fence will create a much bigger problem than it solves.
We, community members who value the Artesian Commons Park and the Artesian Well, cannot support a fence along the south end of the park, for the following reasons:
1. The fence will create crowding around the well and adjacent parking spaces—especially at night—which negates the goal of making the well comfortable and accessible for people collecting water. A fence also cuts off the water—the central and original reason for a park—from the rest of the park.
2. The fence sends the wrong message. The addition of fences with high walls on all sides will make the park feel caged in, promoting negative behavior during open hours.
3. It’s costly, unnecessary and ineffective. With a price tag over $30,000, the fence is intended to address safety and security concerns. The park is currently surveilled 24 hours a day. The OPD has reported an increase in calls to the well at night, but this short sighted solution will only push that behavior onto the other side of the fence or out into the downtown community.
We believe there are more effective alternatives the community can support. However, installing a fence on the south end would be a costly mistake and does nothing to promote the creation of a positive culture at the Artesian Commons.
There are positive things happening! This Spring we will see the inclusion of a basketball hoop which will provide much needed recreation for downtown users and residents. We applaud the City Council for taking this positive step forward.
The problems of the Artesian Commons are the problems of this entire community. This is not a problem we can throw money at or police our way out of. This unique public space needs more community involvement! We need YOU to care about the park and find productive ways to spend time there. We call on yoga instructors, gardeners, food vendors, makers, musicians, djs and dancers, chess players, artesian enthusiasts, volunteer clean up crews, artists and basketball players with excellent sportsmanship to spend time at the Artesian Commons! We call on creative solutions! We call on the Power of 10! (http://www.pps.org/reference/the-power-of-10/)
We respectfully ask the city council to honor our community’s need for a more thoughtful and creative solution and revoke the catastrophic plans for a fence on the south end of the Artesian Commons. The park needs recreation, benches, and signage that reflects our community values. The rest is up to us.
Updates
March 16, 2015
The city keeps claiming this fence is the only path forward for our park but their refusal to engage with our actual ideas shows they are not listening. I walk past the site every day and it is painful to see them prioritize exclusion over creating a space where people can truly coexist.
March 16, 2015
Seeing this level of support confirms that I am not the only one who sees the heart of our park being walled off for no good reason. It feels like the city is finally forced to acknowledge that we care far more about a vibrant community space than a cage.
Reached 100 supporters
March 16, 2015
76 Comments
I truly believe putting up fences would have the exact opposite consequence of what they were intended for. Keeping the space open makes it much more comfortable for everyone to access the park, while putting up a fence is more likely to wall out some of those who simply want access to the well.
$30K for a fence that doesn't really address the issues at hand!?!?!???? You gotta be kidding me!!! Downtown Olympia desperately needs creative, compassionate solutions, not over-priced knee-jerk reactions.
Why fence off a community space less than a year after it was officially recognized as a city park? What message does a fence send to our Downtown community?
I know that a simple solution is the one that's favored by everyone. It would be wonderful if simply putting up a fence would solve the problem we have with the Artesian Commons Park. I urge the council to form a task force to look at the larger issue because this apparent solution will only lead to more people sleeping in doorways of businee
It's bad design. These are elemental decisions that should not be made by non-artists, designers, builders, or architects. How about an architectural design CFA selected by a jury, with a stipend of $30,000?
We don't want a fence keeping us in, we're not in prison and don't deserve to be treated like we are. The other parks around Olympia don't have fences around them, this park doesn't need it either.
duh!
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I truly believe putting up fences would have the exact opposite consequence of what they were intended for. Keeping the space open makes it much more comfortable for everyone to access the park, while putting up a fence is more likely to wall out some of those who simply want access to the well.