The Republic occasionally prints pretty good letters to the editor. However, in their turmoil and inner conflict about trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up (or perhaps simply how to survive), they don’t publish these letters through their online portal AZCentral.
So, I’m going to help the Republic out from time-to-time, starting with these two that appeared in print today:
City should upgrade its style
Travel and Leisure magazine recently named Scottsdale the eighth-rudest place to visit, with low marks for its architecture and public transportation. Why does it matter what that magazine says? Because people who read it like to travel. They apparently won’t be visiting here anytime soon.
Scottsdale is losing its appeal. Who is the caretaker ensuring Scottsdale is the beautiful cultural center it should be? Who approved the plethora of bars with their accompanying noise and drunks, including a “beach club” in the middle of the desert? Does Scottsdale want to be a third-rate Las Vegas? The mayor, City Council and Development Review Board might do well to form a beautification team to upgrade Scottsdale’s style.
— Beverly Lloyd-Lee
[I guess T&L doesn’t know about Scottsdale Leadership’s “Civil Dialog” initiative:) However, they also have a slightly less unflattering “America’s Favorite Cities” profile on Scottsdale. On the other hand, if T&L readers think Scottsdale is rude, I hope they never try to make a public comment at a City Council meeting!]
Scottsdale Traffic circle would cause tie-up
Regarding the planned traffic circle in Scottsdale [at Hayden and Northsight], “roundabout” is an apt description of that doomed project. [Scottsdale’s 1st arterial traffic roundabout draws criticism]
I grew up and learned to drive in New Jersey, once the traffic circle of the world. Back in the day, rules of the road gave the right of way to entering vehicles, those rounding the circle giving way. At some point, rules relaxed and conferred right of way to those in the circle. The result? Massive tie-ups on the main arteries from vehicles that could not enter the circle.
In recent years, New Jersey cannot destroy their circles fast enough.
— David Woodland , Scottsdale
Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane is a New Jersey native who knows how to go round-and-round.
1 Comment
John,
I was just thinking of Beverly the other day and wondered what happened to her since our days of writing for Plugged-in Scottsdale.
I usually disagreed with her designs but this time she nails it about the bar district. I have never seen a town cave to the bar interests like Scottsdale and she is right: What’s with the beach clubs?
Young bar patrons are very fickle and tend to move on when someplace new opens and the scuttlebut gets around. The beach clubs will eventually fold when Glendale or Tempe or wherever comes up with something new.
I can see it now: A couple from Minnesota walks by a deserted building and one says to the other “Didn’t that used to be one of those beach club joints?” The other answers, “Yeah, it ran its course so they tried sushi and that failed too.”