The City has insulted one of its own. Apparently the City of CdA has named the $50,000 bunker in city park, “The Christie Wood Safety Building”.
Can you believe it? When did that happen?
According to this morning’s CdA Press, in an article about police on bicycles, the reporter referred to “The Christie Wood Safety Building” in city park. Since when does the city name buildings, or even sheds, after a living person? And since when to they name anything after a current city employee? (Christie is a Sgt. in the police dept. and is their Public Information Officer)
This is a slam against poor Christie because the “building” named after her is really a utility shed! It’s a small, cheap, concrete structure that looks like a hot dog stand. It is rarely used, has no heat, no bathroom, no telephone, no amenities and it’s closed most of the year, except around Ironman. What are your thoughts?
Apparently it’s not named after Sgt. Wood. From her comment on the CDA Press web site:
Link.
BTW, that sentence features a great dangling participle.
Comment by Dan — June 20, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
Let me explain the dangling participle:
In this sentence, Wood is implying that the building has proven to be very useful because its location is not named after her.
Comment by Dan — June 20, 2010 @ 1:46 pm
Christie did post a reply to my comment in today’s Press. The building is not named for her.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — June 20, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
Interesting statement from the comments section of the CDAPress article:
CHRISTIE WOODS QUOTE:
“Please let me clarify again- it is the police and fire park building. It is normally open 7 days a week from noon to five with Goodwill Ambassadors(or full time officers for special events such as Car d’Alene, Ironman, 4th of July)) and in the evening hours it is utilized by the downtown bike patrols and the bike EMTS.”
OK, it wasn’t very interesting at all, except for the fact that Ms. Woods, the public relations guru for the Police Dept, calls these employees “Goodwill Ambassadors.” Did she personally get permission from the Secretariat of the United Nations to use that title? Wow- she really is connected!
Comment by Pip — June 21, 2010 @ 5:43 am
Pip, the other odd thing about Christie Wood’s explanation on the Press blog site is that, as you detailed for us, she quoted the hours the building would be open, serving the public, but yesterday afternoon the bunker in the park was CLOSED!
Let’s face it, that building was put up for Ironman and is rarely used otherwise.
What surprises me is that Christie’s fellow police officer would tell the Press that the name of the structure is The Christie Wood Safety Building. That’s more than just joking around, that’s an official public statement.
Comment by mary — June 21, 2010 @ 7:37 am
Gee, the issue has disappeared from the Press website this afternoon.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — June 21, 2010 @ 6:37 pm
Well, honestly, the issue didn’t make the city, the PD, or The Press look good. I’m glad that the bunker is being used. That’s what it was designed for. I still remain skeptical regarding its need, location, the process by which it was acquired.
I would be proud to live in a city where the citizens came first, not a multinational, multi-million dollar for-profit corporation.
Comment by Dan — June 21, 2010 @ 6:45 pm
I will never understand the mindset that believes the solution is to make a situation disappear. Out of sight, out of mind, is hardly creative. I didn’t read this, it was probably just an ill thought out, meant to be funny, comment. Why not say so? It is totally unimportant and irrelevant. I think “obfuscation” is so ingrained that “they” use it as a cure-all. Dan, the dangling participle was a howl. Trust you to pick that up. You always make me smile! You must admit, Christie takes a good picture.
I also found the big chicken flap to be hilarious. Particularly Mikey saying that he was open to anything…..yeah, we know that Mikey. You are open to anything that puts you in the spotlight…..except questionable elections. Then Mikey goes wah wah wah!
Comment by rochereau — June 22, 2010 @ 8:44 am
most of the time you have to be competent to have something named after you.
Comment by WannaBe JD — June 23, 2010 @ 11:26 am
Not in Rotten-to-the-core d’Alene. Money will get things named after you really damn quick. Even if you’re a dedicated educator who works to get a nursing program going, some fat cat with a million dollars can waltz in and have their name put on a building instead of yours.
Comment by Dan — June 23, 2010 @ 1:20 pm