Two concerned citizens debate the building of the Mercer Island Center for the Arts (MICA) in Mercerdale Park.
I Hate Kids
By Duane Nystrom, Citizens’ Alliance Foundation
I can go on all day about wetlands protection, financial liability risk to the city and its taxpayers, and downtown parking, but if I’m being honest about it, there’s only one reason that I oppose MICA: I hate kids.
I’m sick and tired of having these Mercer Island do-gooders tell us all of the stuff that we’re expected to do stuff for the kids: Feed them, clothe them, build them new schools, a Boys & Girls Club, and now this. Meanwhile all these spoiled kids do is take, take, take. When does it ever stop?
When I was their age, I had to swim across Lake Washington every day to go to school. Upstream both ways. If the children want to perform so badly, let them build their own damn arts center.
As I first wrote nearly twenty years ago: “The children can ram it.”
I Hate Parks
By Al Czervik, Real estate developer
I can go on all day about the benefits to Mercer Island of having a first-class arts center near the Town Center, but when it comes down to it, there’s only one reason that I support MICA: I hate parks.
I’m famous for saying that “country clubs and cemeteries are the biggest wasters of prime real estate.” We’ve got green all over Mercer Island; why are we wasting time protecting every single square inch? I’d be fine with tearing up all of Mercerdale Park, putting in a new Starbucks and maybe a few nice JayMarc homes.
These pro-park pinkos should be glad that MICA is only going to use the corner of Mercerdale Park. If I got my hands on it, the whole park would be covered with six-story condos.
Let’s get with the times, Mercer Island. People who want parks should go to Issaquah.
Image credits: Theonion.com (Nystrom), MGM Holdings (Czervik).