On April 1, 2008, I posted the first in the five-part series titled Toilet Not Included. The series explained how the city of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, had decided it needed a barren, precast concrete structure in City Park to serve as a public safety substation during summertime events there. Already, names for the structure have been suggested: Longo’s Lounge; Boopsie’s Bunker; Sandi’s Shanty; Ron’s Smokehouse; Charlie & Tony’s Royal Flush. You get the picture.
There are several issues with the proposed bunker. Once in place, it will cost several thousand dollars to move it. It is not mobile. It is not portable. It can be disassembled and relocated. Each disassembly and relocation will require a crane, flatbed tractor-trailers, and laborers. Each move will cost several thousand dollars. It has no running water and no toilet. It is a concrete shell with one roll-up concession window in front and one pedestrian door in back.
Coeur d’Alene’s Mayor, City Council, and public safety and parks administrators had much better alternatives to the bunker. Some of them are explained in Toilet Not Included – Part 5. One of the alternatives would have been a mobile command post.
This weekend is Bloomsday in Spokane, WA. It is a major annual recreational and commercial event. Public safety cooperation and coordination, keeping participants and spectators safe, is crucial to its success. Spokane television station, KREM-TV, featured Spokane County’s mobile command post in this news clip.
Careful listeners will hear the KREM reporter call it an “…$800,000 mobile command center…” That does not necessarily mean it cost Spokane City and County $800,000. It is very likely, in fact, that this is the value of the command center now, not its actual purchase price. As noted the Toilet Not Included – Part 5, there are numerous ways the City could keep costs down while maximizing the value. That’s what competent public administrators do.
Make your own decision about which could be used year-round to provide better public safety for all the citizens of Coeur d’Alene regardless of where they live, work, or play: A mobile command center? Or a precast concrete concession booth in City Park?
Then again, your preference doesn’t matter any more than mine. The decision to spend $50-$60K of your tax money on the bunker was made before any of us had any say in it. Bunker mentality.
Should something happen to an athlete at this year’s Ironman event, of what use is the bunker? If a riot breaks out because of some petty dispute on the basketball courts, how will the bunker improve the safety conditions for others in the park? If a campfire gets out of control, how does the bunker improve the situation? How does the bunker actually deter kids loitering at Independence point? What about the merchants next to the Torch Lounge and the increased incidents on Coeur d’Alene Ave?
These are all reasonable questions, yet none of them were asked during the abbreviated process the bunker was forced through the system. Yet, for the life of me, in each and every scenario I cannot think of any possible benefit this building offers, other than being a building. It’s almost as kooky as saying the fortified “green zone” in Baghdad makes the rest of that city safer. “Ooo! Look Aziz! The green zone! We cannot shoot our rockets here! Run away!”
Your notion of a mobile command center makes so much more sense, Bill. If the issue were truly public safety, then it would have been a massive benefit to the city and the citizens to look into such a thing instead of this short-sighted, knee-jerk bunker idea that has dubious value other than the quid-pro-quo you mentioned in your series.
Comment by Dan — May 3, 2008 @ 12:24 pm
This thing is like a quick fix facelift or cosmetic approach to the Ironman event and future money makers to make things look centralized and organized and also so folks will have some place to go before and after parades. This is mainly for the out-of-towners -not the people who live here after it is done. It’s a kiss butt feature to keep the event(s) here and to appease the critics. It doesn’t do anything but feed the emotional needs of those who think that lipstick makes a pig look better. 🙂 I think it’s going to act like an information booth/PR front/POS for realtors and that is about it – all in the name of lost little children.
Comment by Stebbijo — May 3, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
I seem to recall a mobile command center operated by Kootenai County. Is my memory correct? If so, why couldn’t it be utilized inasmuch as the event involves not only the city but also the county.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — May 4, 2008 @ 8:56 am
Susie,
I believe Kootenai County does have some sort of mobile command post. It would have been logical for the City to request its use (especially if it is sitting idle) rather than spending $50-$60K on a bunker. Of course, if a real emergency requiring the County unit arose elsewhere, the City would be left CP-less. I don’t know how interoperable the County’s unit is, nor do I know if it has toilet and water facilities. Whatever it has, it must be better than an immobile precast concrete bunker that will have neither.
Comment by Bill — May 4, 2008 @ 9:06 am
When will this glorious structure be erected? Maybe citizens could show up to make certain the powers that be understand how we feel about the project. We could even pass the hat to raise money for the LCDC so that they are not out any funds from their coffers for this well thought out and critical project. Of course, I’m being facitious. A no support gathering might be fun.
Comment by doubleseetripleeye — May 5, 2008 @ 11:14 am
2C3I,
The City hopes to have it in place by June 22, Ironman Sunday. Realistically, the City would probably prefer it to be in place at least a week ahead of that so that the crane, flatbed trailers, and construction don’t block the revenue stream in the week preceding Ironman Sunday.
The first thing that has to happen is the site must be prepared to receive the structure. As I understand it, that involves placing a 6-inch bed of gravel where the bunker will sit.
So to answer your question, watch for the gravel. If you call the city Parks Department, it ought to be able to give you the target date.
Comment by Bill — May 6, 2008 @ 9:53 am