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Post by Sir Trevor on Sept 14, 2004 11:20:34 GMT -5
So, what at the faire do you think needs fixed first.
I know the parking lot, but I hope Larry is still working on that.
They seemed to be getting a handle on the drainage situation as well.
I know there are several stages in dire need of repair.
We all know the chessboard stage platform needs a lot of work, but did anyone else notice how bad the gypsy stage was? That thing looks downright dangerous.
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Post by Hephzibah on Sept 14, 2004 17:14:55 GMT -5
Just my 2cents I'd think Owain's stage could be larger with alot more seating. But I think Larry really tried to keep up on the problems and take care of them for us.
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Post by SwordSchoolGroupie on Sept 14, 2004 17:49:49 GMT -5
well obviously the sword school tent needs to be placed near the sword school and in higher ground. But i think I remember turk mentioning that this was already going to happen. I also think perhaps all the stages could use a new coat of paint. and the pond needs a few algae eater fish in it.
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Post by Capt. Morgan on Sept 15, 2004 7:26:31 GMT -5
I think the way the Faire is Marketed needs to be addressed (or some sort of Marketing Program needs to be put into place...NOW!). It seems to me that folks wait until 3 weeks before the Faire and then go "OHMAWGAWD! FAIRE IS COMING! QUICK DO SOMETHING!!" I also think there needs to be a way to get the Community involved (like they did up in MI with the Faire) I think Larry is hanging on too much to past gripes and grudges. At that meeting, I remember him saying several times "We tried that and it didn't work"....well, maybe it's time to try again, maybe it's time to have OTHER people try instead of him, maybe it wasn't the right time and now it is...it was a lame excuse to me in the long run.
As far as the physical part, yes...repair and paint will do wonders...The Parking shouldn't be that hard...it used to run smoothly...put responsible people back in it (or FIND some responsible people...not 14 year old kids who are looking at the flag wondering how you plug it in!). As to drainage...it was a WET year and I think all that could be done was being done, but then again, Larry was coming off as some sort of martyr talking about spending all those hours on the Backhoe when he probably could have hired someone and gotten his butt to walking around the Faire to see things for himself!! Micro-managing sucks and he needs to find others (responsible others) to help him out and not just be "Yes" people. IMHO.
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Post by Sir Trevor on Sept 15, 2004 12:21:19 GMT -5
Some great points. Your right about his need to be a little more hands-of. He needs to get a couple more people working for him that he can delegate that kind of work to. Look at the nobles tent this season. Sitting in the middle of a swamp, because they couldn't get anyone to move it! When it did get moved, it was only because it fell down first. Look at the people on the board willing to volunteer to help paint and repair. Their answer is that they don't know if they can come up with enough people to supervise them WTF I know if I could lay my hands on a small army of free labor, I would find a way to put them to work. As to the community end of things. I think Larry is still on-the-nose about that. The commisioners have not changed, and they have not changed their stance. Small town politics can be a real bitch. They need to find a way to reach the public. And that is the really tough part. I know people who have lived out their for years, and have never gone to the faire. It's right in their own back yard, and they can't be bothered. Best bet would be to concentrate on surounding communities like Geneva and such.
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Post by Hephzibah on Sept 15, 2004 13:00:48 GMT -5
What kind of things are the commisioners saying that is holding him back? I live down here in Waynesburgh Oh. and that is about 20min. south of Canton Oh. I know that a performer who plays the type of bells that you see in a church steple and it remindes you of a organ except to play he pounds on the keys. Dang it I can't find the case for the disk but his act is Cast in Bronze and we saw him out at the Arizona Ren Faire in March and he told us that one year he was set to play at GLMF but at the last minute they canclled him. Something about noise ordiences. Hephzibah
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Post by Capt. Morgan on Sept 15, 2004 13:14:37 GMT -5
I'm sure this is true, about Small Town politics...but can't "they" also see the money the Faire is bringing into their Community? (Top 100 Sites in Ohio, folks! Come on! That has to mean SOMETHING!!) People looking for Hotels to stay the weekend? Resturants and other Site of Interest where money will be spent? Maybe Larry needs to get really chummy with the Wineries and court those who would come down for tours and such....or B&B's...I always thought it would be great if the Tavern turned into a Spa/B&B/Historic Tavern!
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Post by SwordSchoolGroupie on Sept 15, 2004 17:49:31 GMT -5
let the PR guy do PR and the entertainment director, direct entertainment. put a timeline into place and stick to it. don't wait until the last minute. and become friendly with the trustees. somehow I don't think Larry is willing to do that. I've never met the guy, but I've heard stories. personally I would like to stay in my own little happy world where everything is rainbows and butterflies and when it all come crashing down be oblivious to the politics and just cry cuz the faire closed down... it's just too depressing. and then he doesn't want our opinions - he thinks he know everything and can do best.... hmmm
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Post by Sir Trevor on Sept 15, 2004 19:34:11 GMT -5
Roxanne. Nothing wrong with staying out of the politics. And don't worry about the faire closing, because I don't see that happening either. Owners always cry the sky is falling. I've only actually met Larry once so I can't say for sure what kind of guy he is. I get the impression, that he is the type that needs time to warm up to an idea and make it his own. I haven't heard anything lately, but a few years ago, there was all kinds of stuff in the paper about the crap they were pulling. I know last year, they were hauling Larry to court because of parking cars at Brook's house. The last day was packed, they ran out of parking, so they were parking people in Brook's field. Commisioners found out about it and started raising a stink. They are always looking for ways to shut down the faire, or at least cause them as much trouble as they can. The only actual reasons I have ever heard is because it causes too much traffic, and they don't want all cars coming up and down the road Several years ago, they tried to put on Halloween Knights at the faire grounds. Haunted hay ride, and a bunch of other stuff. Commisioners shut it down. Said the faire's conditional use permit did not cover that. Something about the parking. The only way they could do it, is if there weren't any cars parked there I know that there has been a lawsuit against the faire, and that is what has held up the construction of any new permanent structures at the site. Larry said the only way he could build the front entrance was to have it classified as a fence! I think that is over now though.
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Post by SwordSchoolGroupie on Sept 15, 2004 22:04:10 GMT -5
i seriously doubt that... i think he just pissed off the wrong people and they don't want to make nice.
that township has nothing in the way of money making as far as taxes are concerned. they don't even have their own school. trust me when i say - i know all about small towns with little or no tax base that have lost their school and have no industry or anything else to bring them revenue. sure theyre a nice place to live but you lose quality education when you have to ship your kids off to a bigger school . and you lose your identity as a community. i cant understand why they would try to get rid of the faire unless someone rubbed them the wrong way.
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Post by Sir Trevor on Sept 15, 2004 23:30:42 GMT -5
I don't know if something happened years ago that ticked someone off. I just know what I have heard.
I have lived in similar places though. No one cares about the schools, or much else for that matter. They just want their taxes low, and nothing to ever change. A friend of mine just experienced something similar a few years ago. He lives in Platea (PA). The residence there were all up in arms because a company wanted to build a power plant. They put out big signs in their yards, and swamped the trusties with phone calls. All because they didn't want any strangers moving in. Didn't want the traffic. And didn't want any of their hunting land used up. They managed to stop the power plant from coming in. There still is not one industry in the area. And their taxes are sky high. They didn't care about the tax benifits, they just didn't want things to change.
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Post by Hephzibah on Sept 16, 2004 2:22:43 GMT -5
We did notice this year the banner wasn't at the enrance of the faire or the ribbons. We watched cars having to pull over and turn around to get in. And there wasn't any signs for the faire or maybe I just missed them. Also when we were leaving one time there was a bad accident with what looked like 5 or 6 cars involved and we were just cripping along with traffic and one of the emergency people was doing his thing and as we come up he SHOUTED loudly to SLOW DOWN at us. I even ask John(my husband) about it since I didn't see him doing it to anyone else. Which is funny because when we are out of our area we always do the speed limit if not slower because of the buggies and expence of a ticket. And I understand about small minded town folks because where we live if you didn't grow up around here and go to the school you get this feeling like you are not a part of the town and we have lived here for 11 years and put through 5 children in the school system and yes I have done the feild trips and baking and meets and games.
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Post by Sir Trevor on Sept 16, 2004 6:25:28 GMT -5
Good point about the signs. They do put up billboards to advertise, but maybe some better signage in the area would help a little. The signs they do have are a little hard to see, especially when you are doing 50 as you come up on the faire.
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Post by Patty Chophouse on Jan 13, 2005 21:46:53 GMT -5
ROADS. Roads roads roads. The faire streets/roads/paths need MAJOR improvement. Those huge rocks are not good on feet! And the roads turn into rivers when it rains.
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Post by Patty Chophouse on Jan 13, 2005 21:48:28 GMT -5
We all know the chessboard stage platform needs a lot of work, but did anyone else notice how bad the gypsy stage was? Chess stage yes. ^^; I nearly broke a leg on that thing during rehearsals, when the floor caved in from under me! Gypsy stage... I think something happened to it towards the end. Someone got hurt or part of it broke or something. Dun' remember.
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