APS: Think the "no move" campaign is going to work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

Not to mention an awful lot of people besides seniors use community centers quite regularly, many many of them also have kids in APS schools. I really dont see the point of the poster trying to convince the world we need to commandeer community centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone just suggested that a new school could be built where the central library is. Really?? That is outrageous to even consider taking away a public resource like that.

There’s actually a lot of land there that could probably be designed to keep the library and build a school. So I could see that as a possibility

It'd be tight. The land is jam-packed with soccer fields, baseball fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball court, playground, etc.

What is the smallest footprint that is feasible? Underground parking, multi-level. Could work but it'd be $$$.

They don't need another school building there. They need it by Columbia Pike.

That’s already in the works. This would be after that.

DP, but then why are we even talking about it? The last CIP doesn't have the next elementary school (which would be the Columbia Pike one) opening until 2029, which means they probably won't even start planning for one beyond that before 2027, seven years from now, for opening no earlier than 2022. Things could look very different in seven years, making any site planning now a moot point. Sure, take an inventory and identify locations that should be preserved as potential future sites, but anything beyond that is wasted effort.

That’s all we are doing. Discussing options for the future.

Everyone is ragging on APS for not having any foresight or strategic thinking. Here we are discussing future options and it’s poo-pooed. Just can’t win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

Which school bonds haven’t passed?
https://vote.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/10/Bonds_history.pdf

They even approved that ridiculous aquatic center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

Which school bonds haven’t passed?
https://vote.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/10/Bonds_history.pdf

They even approved that ridiculous aquatic center.

The aquatic center wasn't a school bond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

Driving two miles takes a few minutes, and at either of those distances, your kid can get a bus.

Also, some people exercise more than once a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county should reclaim community centers. Better to have smaller, well-distributed elementary schools than places for seniors to do yoga.

Build them a fancy community center at Quincy and take back the community centers.

Let us know how you feel about that 20 or 30 years from now.

+1. The answer can't be "screw everyone but parents of school-age kids," because the county simply won't go along with that and it undermines the credibility of school advocates.

When I've taken a class at the community center I often have to drive across the county. It's easier for me and my class once a week than a family with multiple children who go daily.

What's wrong with a centrally-located community center? They scale better than elementary schools do.

How do you think that would work for elderly people who really shouldn't drive anymore but want to stay engaged, yet can't get to that centrally-located community center without riding buses for an hour each way and transferring twice?

They can continue to use the many low-cost/free transportation options that the county offers for senior citizens. Cheaper and safer than owning/driving a car.
https://aging-disability.arlingtonva.us/resources/transportation/
https://www.arlingtontransit.com/riding-art/how-to-ride/how-to-ride-for-senior-citizens/senior-center-adult-transportation-scat/

Those options are pretty limited. It's basically either reduced cost mass transit (assuming it runs near your home), or a reduced-cost shuttle service where you have to know a week in advance exactly what time you'll want to go to the community center to exercise.

Let’s be clear, public education is a core government function. Providing extracurricular programming for bored seniors isn’t.

Let's be clear, IPads, Small Class Sizes, Swimming, Montessori, Immersion, Pre-K FLES...are not core government functions.

Those are all aspects of public education that Arlingtonians value and are willing to pay for.

The county wants a fairly desirable school system. Not “the best” or they’d be putting even more money into it.

Only 22% of Arlington households have minor children. 20% of Arlington citizens are 55+. I wouldn't be so confident in your assumption that "Arlingtonians" have any kind of consensus about what resources we should be putting into schools, and at the expense of which other groups' interests.

Which school bonds haven’t passed?
https://vote.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/10/Bonds_history.pdf

They even approved that ridiculous aquatic center.

The aquatic center wasn't a school bond.

Yes, but it just shows that people like to blindly approve stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

Driving two miles takes a few minutes, and at either of those distances, your kid can get a bus.

Also, some people exercise more than once a week.

Sure, but proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Yes, it does matter. A lot. This is Arlington. 2 miles vs 4 miles makes a huge difference. What’s up with your fixation with yoga at community centers. I love proximity to my close community center. I’ve been to community events, civic association meetings, meetings with county officials, kids birthday parties, my kids music classes, art classes. All the things that make Arlington a desirable place to live.

And it’s not that this community center-takeover isn’t going to happen because of lack of funds. It’s not going to happen because it’s a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

Driving two miles takes a few minutes, and at either of those distances, your kid can get a bus.

Also, some people exercise more than once a week.

Sure, but proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

The majority of people in Arlington DGAF about proximity to schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

Driving two miles takes a few minutes, and at either of those distances, your kid can get a bus.

Also, some people exercise more than once a week.

Sure, but proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

The majority of people in Arlington DGAF about proximity to schools.

More people care about proximity to schools than proximity to community centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument about community centers is so peculiar. Take parks and playgrounds. Should APS take all those over and Arlington make one mega-county Park for the entire county? Parks, like community centers, are enjoyed by everyone.

Does it really matter if you take your parks & rec yoga class 2 miles from your house vs. 4? Not really.

We don’t need to have a lot of little community centers when fewer, larger facilities would work just as well. The only reason we have a bunch today was because of declining school populations.

Does it matter if your kids go to school 2 miles form your house vs. 4? Not really.

But given your stance, I assume that you would also support the county diverting available funding to expanding centralized community centers, and APS can delay all of its capital improvement projects in the meantime? Sure you don’t mean we should knock down community centers and then make the people who use them have nothing for years until new/expanded ones are built.

Drop off and pick up 5 days a week vs. maybe 1 class for an hour once a week - yes, proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

Again, it's a non-starter because we don't have the money, but it would be a much better use of County/APS land.

Driving two miles takes a few minutes, and at either of those distances, your kid can get a bus.

Also, some people exercise more than once a week.

Sure, but proximity to schools is more important than proximity to community centers.

The majority of people in Arlington DGAF about proximity to schools.

More people care about proximity to schools than proximity to community centers.

You know that how?