Wipeout
A missing element of today's columns and news stories about relocating a city skate park at Seattle Center is that City Hall could have had enough money to build hundreds of skate parks.
But King Greg and the Council Jesters blew a $50 million opportunity when they sold off the former Center skate site to the needy Bill Gates.
Rather than dispose of $72 million in city property at its valued price, the mayor, with the City Council's acquiescence, opted to give the world's richest man a break so he could use the site - mostly a vast parking lot and the skate park - to build a new headquarters for the world's richest foundation.
The Fifth Ave. N. plot went to the Gates Foundation for $22 million in 2005, and nobody got arrested.
Even a lousy $49 million break could have at least provided $1 million dedicated for a grand new skate park somewhere, with enough left over to fill a few city potholes.
Now the forgetful council has proposed shoehorning the skate park into a site north of KeyArena - and tearing out the much-liked DuPen fountain and sculptures (the decision is on hold for another week).
After two years, this is the only site the council could come up with - ultimately because of costs.
Actually, with that expensive grand entry of unused steps and plazas, City Hall itself would make a fine skate park. I hear the building is mostly vacant anyway.
2 comment(s)
Gemini Gypsy says:
The thing about the obsccenely rich money hoarders is that they keep their money circulating in the same circles. Even when they issue their own steller press relases regarding multi-million dollar donations to one \"humanitarian\" cause or another, you can bet that the ultimate goal is to open pathways leading back to their own pockets. (EG: the Arts Fund with its million dollar donations--and Paul Allen as a recipient?) The same with power, whether percieved or real. Whether it\'s skateboard parks, living wages, medical care or affordable shelter, members of the public and their needs go unheeded. The gap is growing at an astounding rate, and our beautiful Emerald City is being razed at a rate comparable to the South American rainforest, with precious little in the \"rebuild\" that honest working folks can enjoy or afford. (Will anything be left by the time Nickels and the current council are gone?)
These are the people that call exploitation progress. That six(or seven)-figure bank account, that second or third car in the garage, that private plane, that Rolex on their wrist all represent greed. They are somebody else\'s living wage, medical care, shelter, food. And all the shiny press-covered donations in the world cannot change the fact that they are costing honest lives. They should be ashamed.
The sad evidence of capitalism? dismal failure mounts daily. And poor Bill Gates and his ilk lead the charge.
Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 1 2007 @ 11:34PM
jpierce says:
After your piece and others, the Council has wisely scrapped the fountain plan. But whatnhell was it doing on the agenda in the first place - two years and they still get it wrong. It\'s not City Hall that\'s vacant, it\'s the people within it.
Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 2 2007 @ 8:47AM