Ruby Grant

I can only expect the Ruby Grant debate to heat up. I have already voiced my thoughts about the site. My opinion about the site has changed a little bit, but the discussion that is raging is quite interesting. I forget how far apart people are on issues and how opinionated people are. It is interesting to see how political a subject gets. Wow! People!

This is why the city turns over the process to a landscape architect. They are hired to sift through the wants and needs of the overwhelming majority and interpret the design. By hiring a third, un-affiliated party the city parks department is not responsible for the design.

Reading through the above linked discussion is why our professor did not turn our plans out to the public to be critiqued. The public is harsh and unforgiving. I don't think we, as young students, could have withstood the beating the city and landscape architects are going to endure. Just read a little bit about how the OSU Master Plan project is going by Benham. The public forum is cruel and it is absolutely impossible to walk away from a project without inflaming one or more groups.

I wish the best for the LA's hired. They have their work cut out for them. I hope they have the vision of Olmsted and are able to meet and exceed the expectations of the majority.

jlw