Lloyd Center follow up

Well, all I had to do was check the Lloyd Center website...

Seems that it will remain a parking lot, just a better parking lot.  Hmm.... a missed opportunity there, I think.
Here's what they say is happening:

The parking lot renovation happening in the Regal Cinema parking lot includes pedestrian connection, new landscaping, rain gardens and new and improved lighting.

At least there's new landscaping and rain gardens going in.  That's a good thing.

Lloyd Cinema stuff

What is happening in the Lloyd Cinema parking lot???

I DON'T KNOW!

There is construction fencing around almost the whole thing and giant equipment is digging up the pavement.  It looks very much like there is a large building planned for the space.  It's being dug up in the north-west corner of the lot (by the bus stop).

If they were smart, they would invest in a pay parking lot.  Tons of people park there to take the Max to work or to walk to their jobs in the Lloyd District.  Illegally park there, I might add.  I can be sanctimonious about it since I don't do it...  :-)  But, really, if you think about it, they can charge anywhere from $5 to $12 per day, and an attendant would only cost about $80 per day.  If they put in spaces for say, 300 cars, it would make money hand over fist.

Not sure what is going on, but believe me, I'll be keeping an eye on this one!

Odds and Ends

Hey There Folks!

I know, I know, nobody reading this malarkey anymore... that's what happens when you neglect the fan base.  Oh, wait, there never was a fan base.  Oh well.

So, every day while I am riding to work on my bike I think about things that would make a decent blog post.  As we can tell, that's as far as I ever get.  Today, however, I will throw a few things out there for your consideration.

• Waterfront Park  Busy!  The festival schedule is in full swing!  Last weekend was the Brewer's Fest and next weekend is The Bite.  It looks to me like they try to move the various festivals up and down the park to take the burden off the grass.  Sort of works.  Another thing, trash pick up.  Often after a big event there are park maintenance people out there supervising the homeless in trash pick up.  That's a good thing.  Trash gets picked up, the homeless earn some pocket money, it's a win/win.  And, let me tell you, there was so much trash left in the park on July 5th ~ I was shocked!  All gone by afternoon, though.
• Keeping it Weird  Ok, this could be filed under Waterfront Park, but I thought it needed it's own entry.  One morning as I was riding along the waterfront I saw some park officials quietly observing a sleeping man.  He was completely naked and sleeping on the narrow shelf of concrete on the other side of the sea-wall fence.  Does that make sense?  Ok, no, it doesn't make sense, what I'm really asking is, Can you picture what I'm saying?  Park, sidewalk, fence, narrow strip, VERTICAL DROP OF 20 FEET TO THE RIVER!  Yes, he was sleeping there!  I think they were afraid to wake him in case he fell.  Like I said... Keeping it weird.
• Construction Crane on the East Side You know that tricky intersection of Burnside, Sandy and 12th?  In what was once a parking lot a construction crane is raising up something big.  This is the lot that is between 12th and the restaurant called Old Wives Tale.  It was a parking lot for a church.  Not sure what's going in there, but apparently it will be tall.
• Jam Season Yes, it's jam season.  So far I've made raspberry, apricot, blueberry, tayberry, strawberry and peach.  Sour cherry is coming up this weekend.  I'm driving out to Yamhill tomorrow to pick up my pail of sour cherries.  Then, let the canning marathon begin!  
• Blackberries  Related to the above, I'm seeing blackberries growing all over.  Amazingly, there are none in my yard.  Well, not really amazing since my partner is in charge of the yard.  But, I have been thinking about taking a bucket out with me and picking blackberries for jam and maybe a pie.  Yum!
• Bike Commute I'm seeing more and more people commuting in regular clothes, and I have to say that it makes me happy.  I don't like the notion of bike commuting being some kind of elitist activity and all of the gear and clothing make it seem so.  I love to see regular people wearing their work clothes and just tooling along.  

Well, there's more no doubt, but that's all I can think of for the moment.  I'll try to be better about posting but... you've heard that one before!

Cheers!