Blair County Ballpark( Edited )

[xero380]

Blair County Ball Park Gets $1.3 Million Grant

Friday, October 31, 2008
After repeated weather-related problems at the Blair County Ball Park, Altoona Curve officials said they now have a long-term solution.

Thanks to a $1.3 million state grant, representatives of the park said drainage problems there could be fixed once and for all.

The grant was spearheaded by Rep. Rick Geist, who asked for the funds in the capital budget, and Sen. John Eichelberger, who followed up with Gov. Ed Rendell.

The drainage problems have rendered the field unplayable in the past, postponing and delaying a number of games last year.





So who agrees or disagrees with the announcement about to be made about the help from taxpayers money to repair the field?

[Skate Toad]

boo hiss.... where did all the money from ticket sales and the few big concerts they had go??? I want my tax dollars to go towards putting in a skatepark! When do you think that would ever happen? (yeah never) I know i'm the bad guy you all love your sports, but i'm tired of my money being wasted on this kind of crap...what about us people that are into alternative activities? How many baseball/football/basketball/soccer/softball places do we have/need?? Too many! How many safe places do skaters and bikers have? A big FAT ZERO!
My two cents.
Thank you and good night.

[Feelgood]

I'd rather see my tax dollars stay in my paycheck.

[JackANSI]

I remember talking to a few people about 5-6 years ago about this very topic. They said it would never happen (dipping into tax money to keep the park going).

F'in City council...

You know they are going to get their tax money to fix a park that shouldn't have been built at that location, let alone at all. The people who benefit the most, restaurant owners, hotel owners, etc will pay next to nothing (plus get free tickets) compared to what the little guys who can bearly afford to go to a game will be saddled with.

I hate projects like this that turn into drains on the economy when they were promised to do so much for it.

But of course the failure is all Rendell's fault.

[DirtySanchez]

It's all a bunch of bullshit. I agree with everything that has been said in this thread. They should have more events at the fucking thing than some washed up bands who are passing through. Then maybe they'd be able to fix it without taxpayer money.

[bassist_25]

Having taxpayers pay for everything while others reap the profits seems to be the big trend these days, whether it's bailing out greedy mortgage companies or fixing the Blair County Ballpark.

But of course the failure is all Rendell's fault.

I'm buying a nice bottle of champagne and saving it for his last day in office. I encourage everyone to come join me in the celebration. Privitizing the turnpike and selling it to foreign investors, the $0.50 gas tax, banning smoking in bars: Has this guy ever had a good idea?

[JackANSI]

Having taxpayers pay for everything while others reap the profits seems to be the big trend these days, whether it's bailing out greedy mortgage companies or fixing the Blair County Ballpark.

But of course the failure is all Rendell's fault.

I'm buying a nice bottle of champagne and saving it for his last day in office. I encourage everyone to come join me in the celebration. Privitizing the turnpike and selling it to foreign investors, the $0.50 gas tax, banning smoking in bars: Has this guy ever had a good idea?

I was being sarcastic actually

Rendell actually had nothing to do with the park being built, that I know of....

But since the guy gets blamed for everything (most of it deservingly), whats one more thing

[bassist_25]

I assumed you were being sarcastic, but I like to take every chance I can get to get slam on Reindell.

[Hawk]

Today's paper:

Rendell identifies budget cuts.

$72 Million cut from public welfare. (I'm OK with that (so far))
$78 Million cut from education WHAT ARE THEY THINKING !
$35 Million cut from community and economic development WHAT ?
$27 Million cut from corrections (I don't know what this entails)

The bottom of the same page:

State money will be used to fix a (sometimes) soggy Curve base ball field. After all, they did have to cancel TWO games this year because the field was soggy.

[Hawk]

Having bands is a problem because they don't want anyone on their precious infield.

I've been to concerts at Cal Ripkin Jr. Stadium. It looks nearly like Blair County ballpark. They just covered the infield and no vehicals were allowed to drive on the grass anywhere on the field. It worked well witrh the stage on second base.

[CMOR]

F the ballpark, with a big rubber dildo!!

I side with the Lakemont people (of which I am one now). They didn't want the ballpark in the first place. Look at how many people lost their homes or homes' value because of it.

As far as corrections cuts- less guards for the prisons and everything related.

[hardhitter]

Are saying to cut Staffing at prisons? Are you an X inmate?

[drums=life]

It's all a bunch of bullshit. I agree with everything that has been said in this thread. They should have more events at the fucking thing than some washed up bands who are passing through. Then maybe they'd be able to fix it without taxpayer money.

Amen!!!

[songsmith]

John "I hate earmarks" Eichelberger. See what I mean about pork? If it's for your home district, it's suddenly kosher. (And yes, pun intended.) Kinda reminds me of a certain Alaska governor who lobbied for a Bridge To Nowhere, then canned it, but KEPT THE EARMARK MONEY. She's the one who'll be going back to AK late next week to work on a $40 billion Gas Pipeline To Nowhere. The one trundling a special-needs infant all over the country because Mommy wants to be President in '12. You know. Rhymes with 'Failin'."

Could someone correct me? Didn't Eichelberger once have a business stake in The Curve, way back at the beginning? Could it be that he still does?

Finally, does this mean Blair County will get a few million for the arts as well? Maybe fix the drainage at Valley View Amphitheatre, and roof it over; perhaps some handicapped access to a very nice place for musical entertainment? I bet not. Nobody's making millions from that. "Socialism" has to benefit business, not people, I guess.--->JMS

[PStl]

OK, BCB, I got your back!
Building the BCB was one thing we got right, and everyone involved in bringing the Curve to Altoona should be commended.
Considering the initial investment, and the huge success it has been over the years, this was a no-brainer. Any idea the amount of money that has passed thru our area in the ten years since it opened?
Have you ever heard any of the out-of-towners talk about the Curve, BCB, and Altoona? They love it!
We are, and deserve to be, very proud of having a minor league baseball franchise here.
GO CURVE!!!
If you guys want to do something constructive with your criticism, find out where the city entertainment (not sure actual name) tax has been going to. Maybe if we found that money, we could fix the local fields and playgrounds. Build your skatepark, fix your amphitheater, etc.
And I loved the Lakemonters! It's too loud, there's too much traffic, here park in my yard $3! Ah, free enterprise and capitolism! Love it!

[Banned]

I think they could build a new jail for $1.3 million. We need one with all the riff-raff moving in from Philly and New York. Polluting our streets with whatever and sponging off the fuckin' welfare system.

[Banned]

I think they could build a new jail for $1.3 million. We need one with all the riff-raff moving in from Philly and New York. Polluting our streets with whatever and sponging off the fuckin' welfare system.

A simpler way is to decriminalize drug use, it would take the profit away, and eliminate the scum from out of town. Its the Libertarian way.

[CMOR]

No, I'm not an ex-inmate. I think there should be more guards. I also think they be able to beat the snot out of prisoners that deserve it, not worry about their feelings and their rights. If you're in prison, kiss your rights and your asses goodbye.

The problem was Lakemont people spoke out against the ballpark and were told, simply, deal with it. It could have been built somewhere else. It destoyed the value of the homes along Park Ave. And now they're taken away, too.

[TJ Kelly]

It's very funny that the very day the deal was announced I passed BCB and half the field was already plowed up. What is it with Altoona and anything sports related? Any other projects wait and wait but if sports is involved then stand back and watch out.

How comes bars are getting bounced for noise violations but yet BCB can be heard well outside of the stadium and nothing is done about it? Because it's sports!

Hell even the area high schools aren't concerned with acedemics just who has the better football team.

Maybe us musicians should put together a sports team? Hell we be able to do anything we want and people would throw money at us! LMAO

No offense meant towards my sports minded bandmate(s)

[Banned]

It's very funny that the very day the deal was announced I passed BCB and half the field was already plowed up. What is it with Altoona and anything sports related? Any other projects wait and wait but if sports is involved then stand back and watch out.

How comes bars are getting bounced for noise violations but yet BCB can be heard well outside of the stadium and nothing is done about it? Because it's sports!

Hell even the area high schools aren't concerned with acedemics just who has the better football team.

Maybe us musicians should put together a sports team? Hell we be able to do anything we want and people would throw money at us! LMAO

No offense meant towards my sports minded bandmate(s)

I hear ya. I used to live about 1/2 mile away from Mansion Park Field. You could hear the football game coming from the Park, especially the announcer over the loud speakers. that had to be way louder than any bar band ever!! Why didn't the noise police bust them? sports.

[DrumAndDestroy]

It's all a bunch of bullshit. I agree with everything that has been said in this thread. They should have more events at the fucking thing than some washed up bands who are passing through. Then maybe they'd be able to fix it without taxpayer money.

yup

[PStl]

The amusement tax brought in by the BCB totals approx. $1.5 million each year split between LT & Altoona.

More about why it isn't going to fund more community projects later.