COMOPOLO

In light of last night, I would prefer not to play at the garage anymore. Since daylight is increasing into the evening hours, I would like to start playing at Cosmo during the week. Instead of Gumbys we could grill at the court! With any luck, we might have a lighted place to play by the time fall hits. Thoughts?

This is fine with me, but as I expressed last night at the bar, I would like to have a weekend day where we play for more than just two hours (Sunday I suppose), since I work until 7PM every day during the week. Otherwise I'm pretty much done with polo.

Cosmo will suit us for the summer.

I really want there to be a place we can play at night, and after several discussions last night, I understand that's not a reality right now. But it sucks that people with schedules like Tim D. would be turned off simply because their schedule doesn't suit our infrastructure.

I am willing to put lots of energy behind the effort to get what we want: lights.

I'm in support of this. I know people have jobs but they can quit them. :D Jk.

We need to pick a day of the week that most everyone can get to cosmo at as close to 5PM as possible. That gives us over 3 hours of play time.

The garage is just not appropriate anymore.

But it also sucks that many people will not be able to make it there during the week and that's a consideration we must take into account also. Losing time with our friends will suck.

BoozeKruse wrote:

Losing time with our friends will suck.

I was just thinking this. I fucking love spending time with all of you and learning the sport. It infuriates me that some ignoramus thought they were serving justice when really they spoiled some innocuous fun.

I want everybody (myself included of course) to have the option of playing three times a week.

For now I propose we:
-try to pick a week night when maybe 12 of us can make it;
-play at Cosmo on Saturday and Sunday afternoons

Hell, maybe we find that we pick two week nights that each fit 9 or 10 different people schedule's. So say you can't make it on Wednesday night, but Thursday works for you then we'd ensure we have enough each evening.

TimD wrote:

Otherwise I'm pretty much done with polo.

I really don't want Tim D. or others to feel like this because some of us can't work with their schedules.

Kruse, you're talking to Steve at parks and rec, correct? Can you keep us posted on the latest developments?

I'm down for, like, whatever. We'll see what my sched. looks like this summer.

i'm working til 6 every weekenight

i'd be down to build new boards and keep playing at the garage, at least on wednesdays. so i could actually play polo...

It seems there are two constituencies here:
-One still willing to play at the garage
-One not willing to play at the garage

I'm flexible and willing to build new boards. Here's the thing though: If we want to use the garage, I think we have to greatly curb our beverage intake (I'd miss it, too; trust me). We'd also have to make sure we leave it cleaner than it was.

My understanding is that before my time, there have been boards taken. Those are our resources (money, energy, time) taken from us for using a space that is not intended for us. It's annoying. But if we reduce the risk of it happening, then maybe it's worth it.

It's really a catch 22 for me. I hate the garage, with a passion. But I also can't play at 5 PM. The City of Columbia is just not conducive to bike polo...and the fact that it has survived this long here is evidence of our tenacity, but my patience has worn thin.

Idea: What if we start doing more fundraising? It's awesome that we're selling shirts but what about hosting concerts and accepting donations? Getting more involved with Off-track events? Anything, really so long as we pursue it more.

It would suck if COMOPOLO just fizzled out and I really don't want to see that. If we get in a situation where we can throw money at the city, wouldn't they have to take us more seriously?

I know I'm gonna get a lot of criticism for this, but suck it. I want to play bike polo.

Polo in CoMO has been around since 2008 and I don't see it fading away anytime soon. With that said, I don't have time and money to waste on building boards. I also don't need to be arrested and I'm sure that's right around the corner. To me, it's just plain common sense not to use the garage anymore. Courtknee, you're ideas are great and we need to pursue them.

For what are we raising money? Lights? A new court?

I'm not opposed to fundraising. Just trying to figure out what our goal is.

LIGHTS!!! We already have a baller court to play on.

I was thinking lights but I know people would rather have Cosmo repaved first. That seems to be the main concern to me; we can't play anywhere that's decent and well lit.

LIGHTS!!!!

Kruse, any estimates on what lights cost? I'm guessing $90,000-$100,000.

I'm super interested; what happened last night?

Fundraising would be great but I'd hate to put all that work in to have our efforts be in vain. Let me send a couple emails and see what it would take for parks and rec to even consider doing it.

This is also going to bring up issues with the skatepark. Not having the skatepark lit but having the roller rink lit isn't going to jive well with the parks department (for fear of skaters moving over to the rink to skate around after dark). It also won't jive well with the skaters.

Maybe we could stop by the skate shop right outside the park, talk to those guys (they're super nice!) and see about joining forces with them to get the ball rolling on chasing this pipe dream.

Hockey players, bike polo players, skateboarders, roller bladers, scooterers, moms of skaters, dads of skaters. A unified constituency to lobby for lighting for that whole arena of the best park that Columbia has, in order to keep it the best park; one that other cities look to for inspiration.

I can roll by the skate shop and send Steve an email regarding our curiosity about the whole damn thing.

Aaron, they threw away the boards we used at the garage to create a closed court to play in. This isn't the first time they've done this. I'm not even mad really... it's their job, I can't blame the dude for wanting to keep the parking garage in shape.

How did Lisa Moffat get the city to allot $90,000 for the East Van court?

I'm not opposed to fundraising for this cause, but raising 90K ain't easy, and it requires a non-profit organization status in order to even do it. That being said, all this CAN be done...but Kruse is right, let's see if the city would even care if we raised the money.

http://www.mo.gov/tourism-recreation/parks-recr...

I was hoping there'd be a grant that might help us, but the only ones for which we could apply are for trails and land/water conservation.

Haven't checked federal grants, but I doubt there's a lot of federal money waiting to be had.

http://www.federalgrantswire.com/outdoor-recrea...

Some of the language makes me think this one won't work:
-"Development of basic rather than elaborate facilities is favored."
-"Grants are also available to States only for revising and updating existing Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORPs) preparation of new plans and for statewide surveys, technical studies, data collection and analysis and other planning purposes which are clearly related to SCORP refinement and improvement."

I'm not sure that Cosmo falls under this SCORP business. But hell, the average grant is more than $68,000 and the max is $5.45 million.

Thoughts?

notsochristian wrote:

How did Lisa Moffat get the city to allot $90,000 for the East Van court?

Canada's got some different priorities, eh?

Tim A and I went to some "meeting" at gumby's one night where we met with some BMX guy interested in lights. Might want to talk to him, Tim.
I have a feeling that Columbia Parks and Rec will do everything to prevent these lights from happening. Since the rink and the skatepark are technically one in the same, you're going to have to supersede the teenage hooligan skateboarder image that the public has of the people who use the skatepark. Talking to that shop owner is a good idea. What about that older skateboarder - I think his name was Jim?
I'm drunk and throwing out ideas. Spatula city.

I think it will be super hard for us to get lights, but lets not give up until we know for sure the city doesnt care.
I am glad that this subject has come up again, but dont let it fall by the wayside like every other time. We need to be serious, cause the garage is a ticking time bomb.

Oh, and I work generally till 6ish, but I'm always free after 2 on saturdays and 5 on sundays. It would be really cool it we could do some saturday afternoons with BBQ and shit!

So this Wednesday (May 11), are we playing at Cosmo?

Seriously dying for some polo. Don't care where. Garage will suck without boards. Wednesday early at cosmo would be rad.

Understand some can't make it so I'll do whatever if there's opposition to that plan.

Edit: when I say early, it means I could play from like 6 AM until whenever-the-fuck.

I second Kruse's sentiments/schedule.

i work at midnight wednesday soooo i have all day to go out and play at cosmo, lets let a time and people can come when they are free!

I'll be headed to Cosmo straight from the office. If I make it in an hour early, I can make it to the court around 4:30. If not, then an hour later. See some of you tomorrow!

So tomorrow at about 5ish?

Or can we get six there even earlier? I'd stay from X until dark. Chime in with your availability.

X til 7

I will be der at 5.

I can be there at 5

I've Wednesdays off, and after the semester plan to start playing. So if people are there before 5pm, I'd show up.

I can be there by 7. Also, keep an eye on the weather, as of now they are calling for 50% chance 5pm on.

i can be there any time after 2 ish

Looks like at least six will be there by 5:30 (Floppy, Mags, Me, Kruse, Aaron Hand, Tim A.). So let's plan for 5 o'clock.

Then Colleen will be there by 7 and maybe Tim D. can arrive shortly thereafter?

We'll see how the weather holds up. As long as it's not a storm/consistent rainfall, I'm down.

i can be there at 5 or earlier

I can prob. be there around 7 after I get off work. Ill def. try to make it if the rain holds off

FIVE O'CLOCK AT THE COSMO. GIVES US 3 HOURS OF PLAY TIME! BRING BEER! BRING FOOD TO GRILL!

BoozeKruse wrote:

FIVE O'CLOCK AT THE COSMO. GIVES US 3 HOURS OF PLAY TIME! BRING BEER! BRING FOOD TO GRILL!

YES TO ALL OF THIS!!!

Any chance Cosmo will be dry enough for us to play?

Can we get six?

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesst...

Wanna play in a thunderstorm?

Wouldn't be the first time.

anybody want to play at 2 or so?

today

Yes.

I can come out later, around 5:30 or so and play until dark. I'll bring my grill, too!

Wish I could, but I have to be at work at 3.

i work at 4 so i could play at 2

i'm off work all day tomorrow. anybody wanna go to cosmo early and get a few games in?

I'm there. What time should we meet?

Are we playing tomorrow? I hope so, since I missed out on the Memorial Day festivities. I won't make it until 7:15 or so, but I'll bring all my stuff to work as usual.

I'm in.

i'll play at 6.30 or so

So three of us? Hmmm. I may just wait until Sunday I suppose.

I am planning to make an appearance, if nothing else to show off my poison ivy.

Four is closer. I'll bring my stuff and come out when I'm off work.

I can't make it until later, either. Let me know of this is still happening.

i can go whenever but would like to go out earlier if possible. i'll probably stay out until you guys get there later if you need an extra.

Yeah looks like everybody wants later. 7PM then. Expect me to be complaining about missing game 1.

What time are we planning on meeting? FB says 630 and 645. The .com says 700. I am so confused.

I'm going out around 6:30

I changed the front page to only have Sunday listed. We don't really have WED figured out yet since the tragic loss of castle greayyyy skull

6 turdy it is! smell ya there!

i think ill go out at 6 and jam around if anyone wants to head out early

"Responsibilities" keep me away from polo, but I can play earlier on Wednesday. In a couple weeks, or so, my schedule should even out and it won't matter. What do you guys think Wednesday's time will turn out to be?

Aaron, we'll most likely be playing in the evening at Cosmo park, until we run out of daylight. Yesterday, we had a really late start, but I'd like to start at 6 PM sharp from here on out.

I'm down for 6 sharp

As long as we play until dark, start whenever.

i'm off work until 6pm tomorrow if anybody wants to go dick around at cosmo around 1 or 2!

I'm down if 4 others want to as well

Are we poloing @ cosmo @5ish? I am not sure if I heard that correctly yesterday.... I would not mind some polo action today!

thats the plan. anybody want to go swimming today before polo?

i think we should do 2 and swim after wards, it would feel so much nicer to play polo and get sweaty and then jump in the water

Swim after, it just makes sense, like cocaine and waffles!

Where were you thinking of swimming?

my cousins lake! its off gillespie bridge road

why are we not playing until 6 on sundays now? that seems like a waste of a whole day

I think it may have been an issue of the heat this last weekend? People aren't necessarily acclimated to summer temperatures yet?

i understand for one weekend, but i dont think it should change permanently

excuse me but this conversation is in the wrong place. If you look at the title it says weeknight schedule. You my friends are discussing a weekend thing. God, get with the program.

-devil's advocate

Air In Hand wrote:

why are we not playing until 6 on sundays now? that seems like a waste of a whole day

In my eyes we were playing at two to maximize daylight before daylight savings kicked in. Now that the daylight lasts into the later evening, it just makes sense to start later when the court is a bit more shaded. It's not really a waste of the day considering the temps are in the upper 90s. Playing 2-dark is just suicide when it's that hot out.

I think there was also work schedule issues. Some people work Sundays and don't get off till mid to late afternoon. I also agree with Tim A that it seems like a waste of energy playing in the heat of the day with full sun on the court. 6 sounds a little late still. 4-5ish would seem reasonable. We should play @ the time when the most people can, whether 2 or 6 pm.

some people also have work issues for 6 oclock on sundays

too much bitching

my thinking:

we play 2-3 hours at a time, we've never gone more than 4, and thats when we had 20 some odd people there. during the summer we'll probably max out at 10.

therefore: we don't need the whole day, we just need a few hours.

2-5 is the hottest possible time of the day, plus direct sun beating down on us
6-9 is much cooler, and the sun falls behind the trees

RE work schedules: Fill out this doodle thing http://www.doodle.com/f8ckbytvz6v6n3i6 - just check the hours you are available (IE not working), and we can see what peoples work availability actually looks like

FYI, the doodle thing is set to Saturday, June 11...

yeah, just ignore the day, it doesn't matter

more relevant, are we playing tonight?

i'll play!

Whole heartedly yes!

for sure

Play extra hard for me! Play til you puke!!!

i might be late. the ups guy left me another notice this morning and instead of going to ups to pick it up myself they insist i wait until he comes back through the hood. hopefully they'll be here soon bc i wanna play polo and have nothing else to do in my apartment!

Colleen and I will be there a little after 7.

Or maybe not....Toots and Maytals for free on 9th st.

I'm trying to set up a third night of polo again. I'd like to do Thursday night like we did during the school year. Are their 5 other people who are free on Thursday night? (I know some people are NOT free on this night, but I'm just trying to find 5 people who ARE free and would commit to playing on the reg)