[Elfsea] New Park - needed or not

[Marsh, Vicki]

Xene here:

Okay, I haven't waded into this properly, but since Eleanor seems to be
jumping up and down, shouting about it (in an e-mail sort of way),
I will do so now.

First of all,  calm down.  We do not need for this to disrupt the Barony or
harm friendships - thank you, Earl Drake for pointing this out, even as I
was writing this letter.

Secondly, we need to determine if we really have sufficient reason to move
fighter practice.  I still haven't seen that proven.

Thirdly, if we really do need to move fighter practice, the best way would
be to have try-out practices at the different parks - one park a month for
the top three or four picks.

Now, that won't let us know what kind of people will be there all during the
year, or what the traffic will be like around Trinity Park during the major
festivals, but it will give everyone a chance to decide for themselves.

And lastly, if we do choose to move to another park on the basis of wanting
archery, then I want to have the permission to commit archery in a public
park IN WRITING from the proper government official - and it needs to be
kept in the Seneschal's and Marshallate files.  Hearing it from another
SCA'er is just wishful thinking.

My personal opinions, for whatever they are worth, are that if we don't
prove the need to move, then we shouldn't.  Why fix what isn't broken?  In
over 20 years of working in the SCA, most of the people who join and *stay*
are invited in by friends and co-workers.  Period.  I've been the
hospitaller and officer and I *know* what I am saying.  Demos at large
target events also bring in people - like the Irish festival and Texas
Renaissance Fair.  Fighter practices don't usually bring them in.

If there really is a need to move the fighter practice, then I would want to
see each of the parks with a large practice there and evaluate the
conditions present *at the time of the practice*.

I am in agreement with Arabella, in that I don't like the idea of Trinity
Park, because of our trip to the Zoo last year.  I did not feel safe there.
Even with big sticks, I don't think it's a safe place for our children.  I
am concerned over parking and traffic problems in the park, especially when
there are large events that *will* be happening on Sundays.  I also used to
work next door to Trinity Park with Azalais, and watched the Park daily from
my office windows.  During the week, it got *real* wierd there.  Perhaps we
should also check with the Police Departments (I'm sure we have someone with
friends on the different forces) and discuss the crime rate and problems
with each park.  During the summer, the humidity and mosquitoes are pretty
tough next to the River.

His Excellency, Don Llywelyn, has told me that he likes Bedford Boys Ranch,
but I keep asking him to tell you that himself.  No matter which one is
chosen, we will have to drive about an hour each way due to our choice of
homes.

I apologize for the length of this letter.  Thank you for reading all the
way to the end.

And remember that "Life is Good in Elfsea" because *you* make it so.

Baroness Xene, OL, OP, etc.