| « Downtown motel now King's Inn | Home | Tollefson it is, square it ain't » |
Latest Entries
Photos ~ Momofuku Milk Bar and Leaving NYC
Photos ~ Evening NYC Wanderings
Photos ~ Flight and Evening Wander in Mid-Manhattan
Photos ~ Snowboarding the Crystal Mountain Slushy
Geo Nerd Moment ~ Images of Tsunami Action in Hilo Bay
Tue. August 22, 2006, 06:26am PDT
Name that space - Step V: The Meeting
After some great feedback and engaging in discussion both here and via email, tonight's the night to be heard. Join me at the city council meeting at 5pm to voice you opinion on the Pacific Plaza renaming debate. I have a handy list of things you might say and also encourage you send a pre-written email over to the Mayor and council members stressing more public input before renaming the plaza.
Today in the News Tribune
Tollefson Square? City should test public view [ link | pdf ]
Public voice in Pacific Plaza? [ link | pdf ]
Previous KFnet related entries. Also on Exit133, Spew, GritCity (here and here), the Tacoma BIA Blog, The New Takhoman, and in the News Tribune here and here .
Comments (11) | To Top
8/22/2006 @ 10:52am
It should be very interesting.
by Erik
8/22/2006 @ 1:01pm
In the glorious traditions of non-square squares: Havard Square for example.
by Ed Tacoman
8/22/2006 @ 8:54pm
Ok. Its nearly 9:00 p.m. What happended?
Did the council select Convention Center Triangle as the name?
by Erik
8/22/2006 @ 9:52pm
It is 9;35pm now. The meeting went okay. Kevin and wife spoke well. I spoke after them.Brought up fact that Brian Tollefson's sisters, one a friend of mine, had never even been contacted by the city for her opinion. They put it back on her, saying why didn't she contact us? Brian and Linda T. were there, Linda did speak, Brian, as usual, sat quietly as his wife went on and on. Another gentleman spoke about how we need to think of paying tribute to Japanese Americans. Another spoke of what was said at workshop about naming it for where it sits, etc. We were outnumbered, T's pulled in big names to testify, Strege, Former Mayor Vialle, Wiegan, etc. It would have been great for us to have more named brand folks there. They changed the name from Harold ? Tollefson Square to
Tollefson Plaza..I think, the council was talking so quickly between themselves. Thanks from us to Councilpersons Anderson,Evans and Lonnegran.
Ronnie
by Ronnie
8/22/2006 @ 9:57pm
PS Brian and LInda haven't talked to his two sisters for years....Linda told me they are "dead" in her book...all having to do with money inherited or not inherited. Linda just went a head and started all this without asking permission from her two "non-dead"sister-in-laws". Nikki, the siter who lives here in Tacoma, is just sad that her family has wound up like this...she is a truly classy lady and misses her brother...but what is...is. I consider myself lucky to have her as a friend.
She was all for a vote ....if the vote was for her dad the mayor fine, if not, that was fine too. She just never was given time to say that in the start of all this.
by Ronnie
8/22/2006 @ 10:26pm
Erik -- sorry for the slow update. Had to head to Doyle's to decompress and get some grub. There's an entry up now.
Ronnie: Thanks again for getting involved and for your valuable input tonight. We certainly have some communication barriers to break down especially considering that most of the "public comment" on this issue was directly from family or people who knew/know the Tollefson family.
by KevinFreitas
8/22/2006 @ 10:27pm
At least there was some discussion on the issue.
Am I getting it right Ronnie? Is the name Harold Tollefson Plaza now?
by Erik
8/22/2006 @ 10:29pm
I believe it's Harold M. Tollefson Plaza, yes.
And there was tons of discussion -- every council member present including the deputy mayor and mayor took time to speak on the issue. Not bad considering other agenda items only heard one or two speak.
Progress...
by KevinFreitas
8/23/2006 @ 7:42pm
To set the record straight I was not asked by the Tollefsons to appear at the City Council meeting. I was there because of my admiration for the accomplishments of Mayor Tollefson and of the role he played in changing the social fabric of Tacoma. Had these efforts not been begun by him, I doubt we would be where we are today. I would hope Kevin that you and your wife do some research on Mayor Tollefson and some of our past great community leaders. I applaud your efforts to become involved in our community--please help us to preserve our past while we all continue to move forward on the wonderful journey of defining the future of the City of Tacoma. Thank you,
Karen Vialle, Mayor Tacoma 1990-94
by Karen Vialle
8/23/2006 @ 9:05pm
Karen: Thanks and I have no doubt that everyone who spoke last night did so of their own accord. Although not normally much of a history buff it's hard to ignore the fascinating past an area like Tacoma has risen from. Working on this topic and that of local streetcars one can really get a sense of the rich, wonderful past that's all around us.
I also hope that through our action Mayor Tollefson's contributions are that much more visible. I imagine if this were made more apparent by the city and landmarks comission in the first place more people would've immediately favored the plaza name change. It will be an exciting challenge to pursue more innovative ways for the city to engage its citizens on a day-to-day basis.
by KevinFreitas
9/26/2008 @ 5:53pm
Karen Vialle should relate well to Linda Tollefson's view on family issues, Karen was left $5.00 by her mother's estate and so was her brother, her very beautiful and talented much younger sister was the executor and received 100% of the estate. Karen went after her with a vindictiveness and hate only we that know Vialle could imagine. She also was left out of her Aunt's will as was her brother. Karen has never spoken to her sister since and speaks awful lies about her. Her sister is not only physically beautiful but a sweet kind person, hard to believe she is related to Karen and her brother and Karen's kid Craig with his twenty felonies. She is very close friends with Brian and Linda Tollefsfson for over twenty years.
by Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Flim