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Metro Will Have Impact On Future Of Reston Community Center
Lots of new folks living and working in Reston is future challenge for community center, Board of Governors candidates stress.
Current Reston residents are mostly aware of the changes that Metro's arrival in 2013 will bring to roads, schools, density and housing.
A large influx of residents - though the exact number remains intangible just yet - will also affect Reston Community Center.
That was the theme at Wednesday's forum at RCC-Hunters Woods for the six candidates running for three seats in the 2011 RCC Preference Poll.
Voting opens Thursday. Homeowners should have ballots in their mailboxes by Saturday, and voting goes through Oct. 14 (for mail-in) and Oct. 15 (for walk-ins and online).
"RCC is truly unique," said Bill Penniman, an incumbent who has been on the board for five years. "We contribute to the community by working with people - from businesses to residents, seniors and children.
"We are not just a suburb, but that is something we are always in danger of becoming," he said. "There are tens of thousands of new people that are going to be here [after 2013]. I would like to be a part of antidipating their needs."
Penniman said offering programs in North Reston as well as at Lake Anne and Hunters Woods could help engage new people and seve the entire community.
Anticipating needs while finding the money to pay for them will an additional challenge, said John Gasson, another incumbent and the only board member who is a North Reston resident. Several candidates mentioned stepping up partnerships with businesses and other organizations such as Reston Association.
RCC, which is funded by Small Tax District 5, saw a nearly 20-percent reduction in revenue (down to $5.9 million from $7.2 million) from 2009 to 2011, Gasson said.
"We've got to be smart about where we spend our money," he said.
Incumbent Cathy Vivona agrees that the Metro and predicted growth is a big challenge, as is serving a pouplation that is already changing.
Both Vivona and candidate Vicky Wingert, who has served in a variety of jobs for Reston Association during 38 years here, point out that many Reston residents are choosing to age in place here, so programming needs to continue to engage them.
"RCC plays a big role in making the golden years here especially fun," said Wingert.
Two other candidates have a more focused platform.
N. Barry Carver's main point is that RCC needs a computer system that is modernized for both programming and outreach.
"It is an upgrade we truly need to allow our community to bridge the digital divide," he said.
Rod Koozmin, who sparred with RCC executive director Leila Gordon all week about a request to bring his handmade canoe on stage at the forum, decided to leave the prop home after all. Gordon had finally said he was welcome to display it on a table in the lobby.
Koozmin's main points are the hours and availability of the woodshop, electrical cords in the vicinity of the indoor pool, and transparency among RCC staff.
Koozmin says boatbuilding in the woodshop could be a signature program for the community.
"I would like to have after school hours for school children to do boatbuilding," he said. "It might draw them away from things like drugs and gangs. There is a dream I have for Reston. The [boat] Pride of Baltimore is a goodwill ambassador. I think we should build our own schooner. We can raise donations for it like they did with Nature House."
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
Barry Carver
8:48 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
And, as I mentioned at the forum, upgrading and expanding the RCC computer footprint is just one of many ideas no other candidate has mentioned. With so much of our social networking on-line (just like The Patch here) it would be foolish not to pay attention and take advantage of this opportunity.
Perhaps old ways of thinking don't recognize that people don't sit on their porches and exchange gossip any more. The majority of the public doesn't have time to slog through all the meetings it would take to be really informed. That's why the internet is key not only to the RCC's mission - but to the future of our community as a whole.
Social media is this generation's community center. Shall we wait and see how that goes... or can we catalyze a city-wide on-line presence that uses the strength and draw of the internet to drive activities, outreach and satisfaction to new levels no other source can bring?
If it weren't so powerful and invasive - you wouldn't be reading this now, right?
Diane Blust
9:46 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
Barry - What are your specific proposals for upgrading and expanding the RCC computer footprint and how will this idea impact the community?
Thanks for a response.
Barry Carver
8:49 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
As a small example:
http://youtu.be/Fv6J_haHvXY?hd=1
http://youtu.be/FcypfvMipLw?hd=1
Thanks.
Private Person
9:13 am on Friday, September 23, 2011
What nonsense --- just a bunch of baloney to take yet more of our money for "bleeding-heart" liberal absentee manager lila?
Barry Carver
4:04 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Thanks Ms. Blust,
I came to Reston from Lawrence, Kansas. There they have a thing called "Lawrence FreeNet" (http://www.lawrencefreenet.org/index.php) with which I have no business or personal connection - just for the record.
When you look at their page you'll find that they offer city-wide, wireless access for a pretty reasonable fee... but the exciting part is, their business model offers their service for free to residents of limited means.
As I understand it, it was a bit of a trade off. They offered free access to folks that qualify in exchange for the rights to hang little repeater boxes (required to make wireless signal available throughout the town) from the city street lights. In this way they get to offer city-wide access and the city gets its digital gap (between the haves and the have nots) stitched up, to some degree. They make money from those that can pay and use a bit of their income to supply service to those who cannot.
I thought this was a great idea, but that it could better have been done by the city or offered as a service by either of the two big internet providers in Lawrence. I never imagined a place like Reston would never have heard of such a thing.
I think the RCC is a perfect conduit for that activity - and many more projects like it. It's situated at the intersection of business and leisure and it already has a mechanism is place for detecting which Restonians would qualify.
Private Person
4:21 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
As the evening commences earlier and earlier each day, you will certainly notice the dearth of street lights in Reston from which one might attach the repeaters. Moreover, Reston is not a city and owns few, if any, streetlights.
Comcast holds the "franchise" to sell Internet in Reston and offers Internet service at $25 a month at a wide enough bandwidth for nearly everyone.
The Convict
4:24 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
We have similar WiFi/internet service as well in Reston. It's called Cox and Verizon with about 20,000 households all running wireless routers. If you've got yourself a good cracking program, you can get free internet in just about any neighborhood in Reston. (When will the idiots learn to turn off their SSID broadcasts and turn on their MAC filtering?)
BTW, they also have Minuteman Silos in Lawrence, KS as well, which is not necessarily something that I would want coming to Reston either.
Barry Carver
4:23 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
- sorry for the long response requiring two frames
All the candidates chat about business-RCC partnerships but most of it generates nothing more than talk.
I look at what Lawrence (a town of nearly twice the population, half the average income and spread out over fifty-percent more acreage) has and think surely there must be some entrepreneur willing to follow that proven scheme to make a small bundle of money and provide Reston those same sorts of advantages.
And, why the RCC isn't actively seeking out people like that just stumps me. On this particular issue, I'm sure their are hundreds of Restonians that grasp the "how-to" of getting this done and, with the RCC providing the list of those qualified to receive free service (along with a splash page that promotes our activities every time anyone logs on!) this makes a fantastic partnership.
Other partnerships that seem like a good fit include the giant number of kids here (and the thousands more the "Metro Effect" will bring) looking for something to do and the number of vacant buildings - even within a block of the Hunters Woods center itself - being kept up and waiting for use.
What would it take for some of those buildings to, even temporarily, house a community movie night, indoor playground or meeting area for board games, reading circles or music? Wouldn't the owner of such a building be motivated to donate its use (and some work) in exchange for the tax write off?
- I'll leave it at that for now.
Barry Carver
5:20 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Well, I'd answer Private Person but, I suppose some things are best kept private.
But seriously folks...
I certainly don't expect street lights to spring up like mushrooms in a place that has gone to the trouble to think deeply about their placement. I'm guessing, if someone was clever enough, there's no dearth of places to plant small transceivers.
Friendship Manor, which is nearly attached to the RCC, would have plenty of people who might qualify for free service and might thus be willing to offer a little roof space.
But with high-rises and cell towers throughout the area - and, undoubtedly more to come - finding a locale for repeaters is hardly a challenge.
The fact that one company can claim nearly all of Reston means they hold the keys to your access. With all forms of information seeming to bow to the internet, do you really want just a couple of bosses who can close those doors at will?
Further, $25 is a very nice price, perfectly reasonable... unless you happen to live in a place where rents and taxes are through the roof already. Every drop of assistance (and twenty-five bucks a month can be a pretty large drop for a lot of our neighbors) you can give to those in need makes them better citizens and customers. While I won't be drawn into a debate over the value of assistance, I will say that this particular bit of aid empowers folks who might not have a voice otherwise. So I'll continue advocating for it.
Private Person
5:49 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
Typical liberal nonsense rhetoric. Dismiss those with whom you disagree and, poof, the problem is gone. Sorry -- doesn't work that way.
And why do you think taxes are so high here? it's to fund all those granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances for the "less fortunate" who *** choose *** to live here.
Reston, DARK and gulag-like as it may be, is not a place one is forced to live. There are plenty free access points in the library for the luxury called the Internet. No one starves or freezes or suffers illness for a lack of internet access at any price.
And as to repeaters, they are just that, repeaters -- not transmitters -- and cannot operate from high rises or centralized locations. In many places these "free" Internet systems have been tried, they have not been sustainable, if they have worked at all, have cost the sponsors (usually liberal governments) millions and they have been scrapped.
So, send those who need Internet access it to the library, read up on the luxurious housing our sky-high taxes provide for "those in need" and refresh yourself on computers in the schools.
http://1.usa.gov/nOy6o8
Barry Carver
5:29 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
The Convict has a point... but I hope it doesn't come to hacking to get those in need a bit of access.
It's nice to see that our kids have a bit of access to computers in school. Even there many children are sharing the few avaialable... and taking one home might lead to a lot more "Convicts" posting!
Many kids have nothing like it at home and so are consigned to television or video games with the hope that they might learn a little something there... that is if they can afford whatever those machines and access cost. In families needing help even cut rate dial-up service – do you all remember how frustrating dial-up was? – often takes the money set aside for any sort of leisure activity we might offer.
If your kids don’t have access to the web, at home, any time they forget an assignment or to study the things, beyond school, that you think are important, they are being shortchanged.
If your kids DO have access anytime they want it from home, you’ve seen how that resource dovetails into educational and recreational activities perfectly. But they are still about to suffer...
Barry Carver
5:39 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
As they reach adulthood they are going to have a different set of skills and, perhaps, a different world view than those who did not have such access – and they are going to be expected to either dumb everything down to meet the average or to pay for the extra resources needed to bring their fellow citizens up to speed.
We have an opportunity here to fulfill the promise of our founding and to be an example of the democratization that full access to information brings. If knowledge is power, how can we allow our fellow citizen to be kept out of the loop? Social media is the community center of this generation and we need to make sure involvement in the community, access to information and real life social opportunities are meshed – the RCC is perfect for that work.
Another point to consider: Look at the discussion we're having here.
Where else are you finding it and with whom else are having it?
Ballots should be out now.
If you'd like the same unresponsiveness you're already getting, just throw it away.
If you think transparency and open communication are an advantage, I'm hoping that I'm earning your vote.
And, finally, I'm not terribly concerned about missle that may, or may not, be hiding in Kansas silos. I made a point of moving away from there for other reasons and no one is suggesting them locally.
Should I start to worry about all the covert things whistling around me, I'll slip on a tin-foil hat and join the parade.
Carmen Padilla
9:10 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011
The internet is not a luxury anymore. The fact that it costs so much is setting further back those who are already starting the race in the "pursuit of happiness" with serious handicaps.
I volunteer at a Reston elementary school. School-home communications are done mainly by email. The families who can't read/send email, access Blackboard, view the school's, district and PTA website's, use the databases the District subscribes to (encyclopedias and other resources) are the families who most need to be in touch with their kids education.
A non-profit competitor in the internet providing business would be nice. When I lived in Los Angeles in the late nineties I paid $40/year (YEAR) for internet to LA Freenet (operated by volunteers with donated equipment). Many places have freenets, why not Reston?