Document text
1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Friday 10 things to know for Thursday Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Police Reports Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Education Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Teacher's Tips: Who gets to teach history? Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Arthur I. Cyr: The legacy of Singapore’s leader Lee Kwan Yew The rest of the story Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Guest Opinion: Ashland schools failed to protect my son from bullying Columns Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Arthur I. Cyr: The legacy of Singapore’s leader Lee Kwan Yew The rest of the story Council Corner: Getting to yes or no — or maybe Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Ticket Availability Music Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center The Farr Side: Madonna — ever the trendsetter Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? ... Ashland Calendar: Friday, March 27 ... Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion ... Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? ... Ashland Calendar: Friday, March 27 ... Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion ... ASHLAND PLAZA RESTORATION PROJECT Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Raising funds, talking about making plans to present to Planning Commission Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Mar. 25, 2015 at 8:44 PM Updated Mar 25, 2015 at 8:45 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Mar. 25, 2015 at 8:44 PM Updated Mar 25, 2015 at 8:45 PM » RELATED CONTENT Documentary premiere --> Documentary premiere A locally-produced documentary about Plaza changes, “Where Have All the Colors Gone?” debuts at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, at Havurah Shir Hadash, 18... » Read more X Documentary premiere Documentary premiere A locally-produced documentary about Plaza changes, “Where Have All the Colors Gone?” debuts at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, at Havurah Shir Hadash, 185 N. Mountain Ave., Ashland. "Canyon Songs," a cinema journey through the National Parks in Southern Utah, will also screen. Total time for both films is about 45 minutes. A $5 donation is requested. What do you think? Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter. • Councilors OK downtown facelift recommendations • What do you think of the changes on the Plaza? • Perking up the Ashland Plaza • Man who planted maple mourns its death • Mature oak in Plaza dies, probably the result of past construction... • Ashland plans to spruce up before summer tourists arrive » Social News A group of Ashland citizens is collecting money pledges on Facebook to pay for an overhaul of the recently refurbished Plaza, starting with replacement of the dark gray paving stones with something more colorful.  The group Ashland Plaza Restoration Project posted a Facebook of that name on March 7 and is pushing 500 “likes” and $7,200 in pledges, toward a goal of $35,000. City Councilwoman Carol Voisin has pledged two years worth of her council stipend or $550. Backers plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign for it soon, said David Sherr, a main organizer of the project, with the first $35,000 going for pavers and further fundraising for new trees (several were cut or died during or after the city’s Plaza remodel), landscaping, hanging plants and changes or reduction in benches. Sherr said he envisions lots of citizen input into a more attractive and welcoming Plaza, with a cooperative, back-and-forth design process with the city, which would carry it out. “So many people don’t like it (the city refurbishing of the past few years) and we want it changed. I think the pavers are ugly,” said Voisin, adding that the city, not citizens, should pay for it. Sherr said pledges will be collected and the group will consult with park designers, then a “cohesive plan and design” will be presented to the city. "No money will be collected," he adds, "until citizens and the city agree on the design ... I can’t imagine they wouldn't be supportive of the community effort.” Asked about the effort, city Administrator Dave Kanner said citizens and the city already had an extensive back-and-forth in shaping the present redesign.  “I have no idea what the city council will do with this,” said Kanner, “but I would recommend they say ‘thank you, but we’re not going to do anything.’ It sounds to me like a group of citizens trying to influence public policy-making by purchasing the outcome and that is anathema to democracy.” Sherr defended the external initiative, noting there’s much precedent for it, both nationally and locally, with the successful 1908 drive of the Women’s Civic Improvement Club to establish the now-iconic Lithia Park in the city’s heart instead of the planned shops. The current drive was kicked off by a letter last August from Roy Sutton calling for more citizen input and pledging $100 to a fund to “reassess the whole project and fix the Plaza to make us all proud.” Project member Wendy Selden said, “I’d like to see the Plaza be a community place with a stage, music, entertainers and tables for the surrounding coffee shops, giving it a friendly, useable European feel. The city would have to be in agreement with what we want to happen.” Sherr added, “That would take the pressure off the city. We want a real dialog with the city.”  Selden noted, “We’d like to believe the city would want it to be something the community would be happy with ... done as a collaborative effort.” The citizen fund drive, says Sherr is “a positive, proactive effort to improve the Plaza. It’s the only chance we have of restoring (it),” Sherr said in a letter to the Tidings editor. “Our city government, for whatever reasons, has only taken insufficiently small steps to continue to improve its downtown Plaza and to address the concerns of many here who feel it needs major additional improvements.” Voisin said the Plaza re-do came out of city administration, not a commission, and “the process was flawed.” If the proposed changes end up before the city council, Voisin said, “the votes aren't there for it, so it doesn’t much matter what I think.” "We are not proposing a radical change in the use of the Plaza, just more beautification," Sherr summed up. "Once we have more pledges, we will go to the Planning Commission and the council majority and say, 'this is what we have, this is what we can do for our city, for our Plaza.' It makes more sense to have something in hand to offer the city, first."  A locally-produced documentary about Plaza changes, “Where Have All the Colors Gone?” will debut at 7 pm, Wednesday, April 1 at Havurah Shir Hadash, 185 N. Mountain Ave. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected].   By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Mar. 25, 2015 at 8:44 PM Updated Mar 25, 2015 at 8:45 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501