Downtown Fears

[AllanY2525]

I'm gonna say something here....but before I do, I'm gonna ask everyone here not to
take it personally or be mad at me.

THAT being said......... I live in Rockville, MD - this is a suburb of Washington DC with
a population equivalent to Youngstown (64,000), but a land area of about 13 square miles
(1/3 that of Youngstown).  Like Youngstown, it is also the county seat for all of the county
(Montgomery County) so the county court house is right downtown.

The kicker here is that Rockville has a downtown that is at least TWICE (edit: FOUR TIMES) the size
of downtown Youngstown, if not larger.  Parking in downtown Rockville is MUCH more congested,
compared with Youngstown.  People ROUTINELY walk 10 blocks OR MORE when the lots and parking
decks fill up - and they think NOTHING of doing so. 

This is not to belittle the parking situation in downtown Youngstown, but rather to try and
put it into perspective....it's NOT AS BAD as some make it out to be.

[Peggy Gurney]

cc4 and TT - both excellent ideas! 

It has been rumored that with the new park/amphitheatre being build, that many festivals will be moved to that area.
But that is just a rumor....

[iwasthere]

YAEDA suggested cc4 ideas for yrs.

[Towntalk]

First, that is a great idea cc4, a very splendid idea indeed, and I cheer you from atop the Metropolitan Building for making it. With the ever expanding business downtown that would be a tourist attraction in and of itself.
Now for a festivals idea. Why not locate them on either East Commerce or East Front Streets thus freeing up East Federal and East Boardman Streets that both have so many offices and businesses not to mention a college and restaurants. Both the Commerce and the Front streets are nice. One proviso though, no festival should be allowed to spill over onto East Federal or East Boardman streets.

[cc4]

I know this won't help drivers mentioned in the article who have to see their cars from

their restaurant seats, but I would like to have a WRTA trolley that runs exclusively in the

downtown area (similar to the one I have ridden up at YSU).  That way you could park your car

farther away from your destination, if necessary, and then rely on the trolley for the duration of your visit.

Alternatively, for those of us who are able, parking a little farther away and walking would be good

exercise and probably healthier in the long run.

[Peggy Gurney]

I can't believe I'm saying this, as Mr Franko and I have never been on the best of terms, but, I do find myself agreeing with almost every statement of his article as far as the parking situation is concerned.     

[Towntalk]

To see my kind and very gentle side you are welcome to go to my facebook page where I am ooooozing with the milk of human kindness.

[kenneyjoe330]

OH MY - You make me blush to think lil ol me as someones hero    We will have to talk about heroes sometime - maybe do some hero shopping 
Thanks for asking about The Parade - as you probably can see I just finishes posting about it  Thanks for your concern - hope to see you there 

[Towntalk]

Kennyjoe MY HERO . Glad you are back. Could you please tell us what will be happening with the 7th Ward parade this year?

[Towntalk]

I live in Youngstown, so I don't give a rats posterior what is happening in other cities. I'm not against festivals of any kind downtown ... I'm against those people in City Hall that have been making our city the laughing stock of the world. If I could get out and about I'd be at most of them...festivals that is. OK so I was a little harsh,but when I hears that PRIDE people were hitting people up for money for the Davis campaign I got angry. THAT IS WHO AND WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO AND NOTHING MORE.

[kenneyjoe330]

Geee - after not having been on the forum for awhile - I am so sorry to see - first thing - such a disparing attack on downtown Youngstown.  I have always been against the "fencing in" of public property/right of way for private use (the fencing is permanent and very inconvenient to the general public yet used only by some patrons and under only good to moderate weather conditions).  I have go downtown perhaps 4 to 5 times a month and have found parking a challenge but not a problem.  Parking at WalMart in Bordman is more dangerous and farther to walk than in most places I go to downtown Youngstown.  This is twice the distance if I go to a few stores at Southern Park Mall.  Mayor McNally, imho, is doing the best job he can - enforcing laws on the books that have not been enforced before may well seem to be a shake down - and so it goes.  I think most places downtown try to make an honest buck and are good people who hire good people.  The festivals are usually nonprofit organizations promoting their own agenda.  Your generalized negative comments with out providing suggestions for improving conditions does not do well for the betterment of the situation.  The time and energy it would take to boycot downtown - a very negative and destructive plan - could be more wisely spend in soliciting others - who see and understand your concerns - to form and present positive plans - to your liking - and present them to those in authority.  May God be with you in your endeavor.

[Towntalk]

I wasn't referring to 99.99% of the festivals, I was referring to the con-artists in City Hall and CIC. I'm very sorry if you took it the wrong way and I was also referring to the scam artists who were hitting people up for money for the Davis woman. How much of that money was reaching Davis and how much was going into their pockets?

[Irishbobcat]

Also, name me one urban city in Ohio or the country that doesn't have parking issues in their downtown area??

[Irishbobcat]

Sorry TT....but I have never encountered a con artist at the Simply Slavic Fesitval...in fact, the ethnic foods are prepared by volunteers from some various 14 ethnic churches

and organizations.....educational and informational tents are staffed again by community members from local organizations....I would visit each individual festival before you

make a blanket statement about boycotting all events downtown.....

In fact the Simply Slavic Organization provides scholarship money from the festival each year to YSU students and also provides educational presentations to area schools as

well......

Con Artists? I don't think so......Only con artists I know were the pro frackers who sold this county a pig in the poke when it came to raping our land and water for a few wells

that caused earthquakes and water contamination....

[Towntalk]

Downtown Youngstown might be safe, but McNally's Shake-Down Hooligans and CIC'S Bouncers are going to shake you down for every penny they can RIP YOU OFF FOR, just for the privelage of going downtown, and what they don't get the CON-ARTISTS at the festivals will grab from you.