Recession's Evidence

[arcturus]

You know how certain things seem so out of place it strikes you? For me it happened Saturday, a beautiful, warm day with little humidity and bright blue skies. I was cycling down Knapp at around 1 pm, passing Briggs Park and expecting to see many taking advantage of the great day.

To my complete surprise the park was totally empty (other than myself) for the hour I was there, the pool dry, the water slide deserted, the picnic tables and swings unused, just an eerie silence interrupted only by the chirping of birds and an occasional car passing. It had a kind of post apocalyptic feel to it, evidence of this historic recession and its toll that we are witnessing firsthand.

I see where Briggs pool was open for just 6 weeks and then only through last minute fund raising efforts.

I left wondering if we will ever see 'normal' again or is this a glimpse of the new normal.

[zenstyle]

I've seen the same kind of eerie landscape.

A couple of the dogs I walk live near Garfield Park. We strolled through there not long ago, and where the Garfield Pool used to be, there's a large, flat rectangle of packed-in dirt. I guess there are simply no available funds to maintain the pool. I feel bad for the kids in the area.

As far as seeing "normal" again, that'll take a recalibration of how normal was formerly perceived. In my opinion, it's not a bad thing that people are hanging onto their vehicles longer, aren't moving out of their houses simply because they're "bored" with them, and seem to be thinking twice about swarming into the malls and dollar stores for needless cheap Chinese-made decor.

[GRDadof3]

Yeah, we went over to Richmond Park to hit the pool earlier this week and found it closed, to our dismay. I forgot it was only 6 weeks.

A lot of families with kids belong to the private pools now (Orchard Hills, MVP, etc.)

[arcturus]

George Heartwell - ""The day when the city could open three pools, much less six pools, is a thing of the past. We can't do it by ourselves."

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/09/grand_rapids_pools_have_busies.html

Welcome to the new normal.

[GR Jackson]

I agree that the fact that the pools aren't opening is a sign of the recession, but the parks being empty aren't. It probably has to do with kids going back to school or people taking one last vacation. If one is strapped for cash it would make sense to use the parks more because they are free entertainment for the kids.

[arcturus]

It was probably a simple abnormality to not see anyone. Nevertheless if people are cash strapped one would expect more people to use the park in lieu of vacations, not less. Besides, this was 9 days before school started.

[GRDadof3]

It was probably a simple abnormality to not see anyone. Nevertheless if people are cash strapped one would expect more people to use the park in lieu of vacations, not less. Besides, this was 9 days before school started.

We should all get some perspective here though. You could have been looking at a bombed out pool with an old burned out car sitting in the bottom of it, and all the houses vacant around it.

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=abandoned+detroit+neighborhoods&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=560

I've seen much worse signs of economic devastation in other cities, like condo towers left half built and covered in weeds, entire neighborhoods on the auction/foreclosure block, etc..

[Allison Slater]

Detroit's a bit of a unique animal in that regard, though.

[GR Jackson]

Apparently the recession has been over since last June.

[Allison Slater]

I saw that report. "The longest recession since WWII, lasting 18 months, ended in June." I thought they never admitted there even was a recession until early this year?