Arkansas Blog

Why would anyone be shocked? When living in a Corporate State it is the policy of such an alliance.

That blog post fails to point out the large paved parking lot about 50 feet from the one it took a picture of. If you are going to the walk or ride on the river trail, why would it bother you to walk or ride a few hundred yards? Also, if you want to walk across the bridge, there is plenty of parking right at the beginning of the bridge at Alltel. The parking is much better than on the LR side which is why I always park on the NLR side.

It could be, eark, that someone who is dependent of oxygen, for example, or maybe recovering from heart or lung surgery, or, heaven forbid, confined to a wheelchair, might like to enjoy the trail and the view a bit. Stategically placed benches make this outing possible for some folks. Oh, but we can't have them interfering with BIDNESS, can we?
Eark, you might remember that there are a few folks out there who are in somewhat worse physical shape than you are. Or are they legislated to enjoy only the outdoors they can see through a window? In case you still don't get it, maybe you need to come sit with my husband for a few hours when he hasn't had a change of scenery for a few days. Let me tell you, depression quickly follows boredom when the patient is a man who has been accustomed to getting out and doing everything he wanted to his whole life. Heading over to the park to watch the squirrels is an event now. And for your information gravel is much harder to walk on when you're still a bit tottery.

Doigotta, have you been to the area? You can park right on the river, and have a great view of it and Little Rock. You don't even have to get out of your car. If you want to get out of your car, there is paved parking right past the grassy area pictured (whe by the way, many park on but it's not a parking lot). If you want to walk on the trail and park closer, there are other parts of the trail with parking available right next to the trail.

If this is all people can find to complain about, then they have it good.

Aregenta "news" says it's "the only paved lot by the River Trail" which obviously is not true. There are paved parking lots at various points of the river trail.

Also, click on my name to see the huge parking lot right next to the grassy area that Argenta "news" pictured in it's post. Funny how they took the picture so the paved lot is not in the shot.

The point is how NLR can take public parking places and give them to a business so that said business can make more money.

It's like the economic bailout, just on a smaller scale. Take wealth from taxpayers and give it to businesses with influence.

That parking lot has been used for the Maritime Center and Arkansas Queen for at least a year that I know of. Why is this all of the sudden "news?" Has anyone addressed their concerns with the City of North Little Rock? Has anyone asked what arrangement the City has with the Arkansas Queen?

It just amazes me that people can all of the sudden be concerned about something that has existed for a very long time at a time when our country is falling apart.

" . . . two blocks seems like a mile, especially when walking through a mostly empty lot to get to the benches and walkway along the River."
No, I haven't seen the lots. I depended on the description above. Believe me, I can relate to this.
However, did the city or the Arkansas Queen build the lot? NLR does seem to have a history of heavyhandedness in this area. (Not that it's limited to NLR. Pine Bluff -- and probably other places too -- has a habit of building parks and park-type facilities that private entities seem to get first dibs on. Have a favorite easy-to-get-to fishing spot? Uh uh. Not on the weekends when there's a festival going on, unless of course you want to pony up to get into the park/festival.)
And just because the country is tottering economically doesn't mean that we should ignore smaller slights.

Eark, the lot you point out is 2-3 blocks further to the east and further away from the benches and landscaped Riverfront area with the trail. Thus issue was first pointed out to me three weeks ago by a disgruntled trail user. I spoke with a City representative about the situation and then allowed about two weeks for the City to address the issue. Only after that did I make the post. I don't get the comment about ti being a long time. Do we not have a responsibility to point out injustice when we see it regardless of when it first started? By those standards, slavery and Jim Crow may never have been addressed. Republicans for Obama has it right, social activism and change begins in our backyards!!
Scott Miller
Argenta News

If you didn't get a response, have brought it up at a city council meeting or with your alderman? Why didn't you point out in your original post, what city employee or department refused to answer?

And there is parking at the entrance of that park also. And has anyone ever been stopped from parking in that lot and walking to the park? I doubt it's even enforced. How could you expect to have any businesses there if there's no parking? The Arkansas Queen and Maritime Museum attracts tourists and they need a place to park. What's your solution and when will you be bringing it before the council. Let us know and we might be there to support it.

Posting to a blog is hardly what I'd call "social activism and change." I agree with Eark. Tell us who you spoke to and what their response was. Got to city council meetings and bring it up if you want "social activism and change."

Eark, I believe Miller is supporting that nut job that is running for mayor against the current mayor. That might give you an idea of why it's being brought up now.

eark, read the post on Argenta News, there were two solutions proposed. I would rather not embarrass the City person, that could make working with that person tough in the future. That person knows who they are.

PS I have no yard signs for either candidate in my yard. not made contributions to either or attended an event sponsored by either campaign. Bubba Lloyd is not a "nut job" and the Mayor is not all those things people say about him either. Bubba and I have had our very public difficulties with most of them published on Argenta News. So anyone who claims to know who I support is just guessing and any conclusions based on that guess are just speculation.

Kind of odd that such an "activist" hasn't taken a stand on the mayor's race. You don't have to admit it. It's obvious.

Any why not go to the council meeting and bring your concerns to those who could address this issue if you believe in activism. I guess it's more fun to just complain.

Contact "Captain" Robert Lumpp. I'm sure he'd be happy to explain any arrangement. Good luck with that, by the way.