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From: Sewhappie
Date: 07-13-2006, 02:36 PM (1 of 7)
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I wanted to share this letter that was sent to the local news, it really hit home with me. DH and I where just two of the 30 some people sitting at that pier that day. The Tall Ships was a complete joke this year!!!!! First off they are charging a fee this time to even get into Voinovich Park, they didn't the last time and hundreds more people come and enjoyed the event. Then they try and kick people off the finger pier in back of the Rock Hall of fame, telling everyone who had been sitting there for some three hours that they now had to pay!!!!!! Now mind you this was the area that the gate people where telling everyone who couldn't pay $10.00 a person to go to. The area was open for anyone to come and go as they pleased. Then just as the ships started the parade some JACKA** comes in yelling at everyone that "If you don't have an armband showing that you paid to come in here you have to leave. That this is now a roped off area." Needless to say he had a battle on his hands with over 30 people (many with small children. And these where not the " ProjectsPeople", many where middle to upper class income families or Seniors on fixed incomes). First off when you arrived at this pier there where NO barricades OR staff telling you that this area was for wristbands only. Second, this jerk, who was in a black events shirt along with his sidekick in a blue staff shirt, was so rude to everyone there he almost landed in the drink himself. He was yelling at people and threatening everyone there that they would be physically removed by the sheriff if need be. He had children in tears and was screaming at elderly people, totally un-called for, plus this still is not a great area to even see anything as the Mathers blocks a majority of the lake. He kept calling for backup on his radio, only to be ignored by people on the other end of it. Well his "bad a** attitude " back fired on him when a Sheriff Deputy DID show up and ruled in favor of the "Pier People" People who just wanted to come and enjoy the day with their family and friends, NOT knowing that they would been so greedy this year and charge to walk in a park. Many from out of the Cleveland area, who did come and sat in the rain for 3-4 hours vowing that they would never come back to another Event. Who ever this company is that was hired to do the "Events" end of the ships did a very poor job of handling the whole show. Many people who did come didn't know that they would be charging a fee this year, the whole thing was done very half a**ed. Many people turned around and left because of this. This is not what a struggling City like Cleveland needed to have. It hurt the City, The Rock Hall of Fame and the Science Center, it didn't help them. If this is how they plan on running other events in the future, don't be surprised that people don't show up. It's bad enough that these are very hard times for people in this State and there are very few things that they CAN do, they don't need to be treated like they are criminals. I tried to edit the language from the letter,so forgive me if I missed one. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: vickki
Date: 07-13-2006, 09:01 PM (2 of 7)
| Must have been my brother-in-law.hahahahahah. |
User: vickki
Member since: 08-21-2005 Total posts: 374 |
From: MaryW
Date: 08-09-2006, 01:20 PM (3 of 7)
Lol, I knew someone would get around to taking a jab at their inlaws.  Sounds like the whole thing was a total disaster, what a shame for the families. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: Roy
Date: 08-10-2006, 04:22 PM (4 of 7)
| Sewhappie. Tragic indeed. I love the tall ships and have visited many of them when I would meet them in ports. The operators were always congenial and gracious hosts. About 35 years ago I spent 8 months as an instructor aboard a Norwegian Schoolship, a three masted bark, 175' tall main mast, with shorter forward mast and mizen mast, sailing her to Africa and back to Norway. Standing in the stirrup of the royals we were 160' above sea level! We were the center of attraction in every port we visited and hosted many guests at no charge. How excited the people were, and the orphan Annie eyed children wondering how we slept in hammocks 'tween decks with an overhead less than 6'. Even ocean liners would veer off course to see us under sail while their hundreds of passengers, full of envy, took pictures of this rare sight. How sad to rob the gift of such a sight from the people of Cleveland, especially the children, who could only dream of sailing aboard such majestic ships. My heart goes out to the citizens so abused by the greed of a few to make more money. At least they could have explained/justified their actions before the public beforehand and not take such a stand when the unsuspecting public showed up for their view of dream ships. Sad. |
User: Roy
Member since: 04-28-2006 Total posts: 25 |
From: KayTee
Date: 08-11-2006, 10:49 AM (5 of 7)
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Roy, you're absolutely right in that it's the promoters, not the people on the ships. I had a similar experience trying to see the Tall Ships last year in Vancouver. Extremely poor organization; many of us waited in line with our tickets purchased online but they had no way of verifying that because they had no computer system. They eventually decided they would write our ticket confirmation numbers on a sheet (which WHAT ultimate consequence I wondered????). The 4 different venues where ships were docked were not made clear to anyone and we, in fact, missed one venue entirely because of it. This was particularly disappointing because this is where the Canadian ships were docked As we departed the last location, they handed out the maps (would have been VERY handy to have at the beginning.....). We couldn't go back to see what we had missed as we had get back to the airport for our flight home (yes, we flew to Vancouver for this event). I heard from other people that the previous event in Victoria was even a bigger disaster. It would seem that the promoters need to be replaced. But, as you said, aboard the ships, it was a completely different story. Even on board the ships where English wasn't spoken, the courtesy and politeness was completely apparent. Just my 2 cents worth .............. |
User: KayTee
Member since: 12-06-2002 Total posts: 98 |
From: Roy
Date: 08-11-2006, 10:42 PM (6 of 7)
We took our three masted bark into Las Palmas, Canary Islands where we met the Polish training ship. None of the Polish cadets could speak Norwegian, nor could the Norwegian cadets understand Polish. I brought my chess set to the outdoor cafe in the village square and the Polish cadets played against the Norwegians, discussing the options of various moves. Now that was a sight, ten to twenty cadets playing against a similar number of the other ship's cadets . The spectators, local residents for the most part, spoke Portugese or Spanish and also enjoined in the game suggesting moves in languages which none of the cadets understood. What a babble of fun. The language of the heart, however, was spoken eloquently and all understood, it needed no translation. 
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User: Roy
Member since: 04-28-2006 Total posts: 25 |
From: stephi
Date: 08-14-2006, 08:45 AM (7 of 7)
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Thats such a shame! There really isnt a whole lot to do any more that is free. We have what is called water side her in VA and they used to host a ton of free family events all through the summer, but a few years ago the same thing happened. The city hired a new company to run the show and they started charging and roping off areas and that sort of thing. Its really a shame becasue I know the vendors used to make a killing at them because you didnt have to pay to get in, but now they have a hard time booking vendors to come anymore. I really miss the Bay Days which I am guessing is about the same as tall ships. Fried Turkey legs, funnel cake and candied apples, MMMMMMM! Why does money run/ruin everything?
Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361 
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