WATER SLIDE MAKES BIG SPLASH (GOVERNMENT GETTING INTO BUSINESS)

The Shelbyville Times-Gazette ^ | 9 July 2003 | Chris Oakes

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

There's a brand new reason to visit the Shelbyville Recreation Center. The anticipated new water slide at the center opened Friday morning after a three-day construction blitz by Splashtacular, a company out of Ohio. According to J.D. Morton, aquatics director supervisor at the center, profits have been double on several of the days since the slide opened. "It's nice, and it's fast," said Morton, who has been down the slide many times himself.

The $81,000 slide, more than 40 percent of which was paid for by a state grant, features three loops and is 134 feet long. Non-slip stairs lead to the top landing, where a canopy protects the lifeguard and slider from direct sunlight. Sliders are dumped into the 5-foot end of the pool, close to a ladder which allows them to climb out and back into line quickly.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

The background on this. The Shelbyville Recreation Center was built with taxpayer funds against the wishes of a large number of people in Shelbyville. The man who runs it, Buddy Overcast, does not take kindly to anyone disagreeing with him. This is a public facility and they are building it into basically an amusement park, little by little. Funny how private business is taxed out of existence to pay for things like this and it makes a profit which goes to athletics as the entire facility pays nothing in taxes.

A book, literally, could be written about all of the politics behind this facility and the powers involved. Al Gore has VERY good friends in this city. Looks like the Democrats (this city is a Democrat stronghold) have the idea of government eventually getting into business and making money...so you keep the small business taxed heavily to keep it from becoming too well off. Any other areas where Freepers see this happening?

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[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

Quite frankly, I refuse to patronize any business in Shelbyville until it returns Springfield's lemon tree...

[lelio]

I would check your state constitution to see if it has anything in there like "To protect the welfare of the people, including building water slide theme parks"

[joesnuffy]

did they take the land for it through emient domain?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

did they take the land for it through emient domain?

No, I believe the land was donated.

[The Duke]

The government getting involved in business is as ridiculous as a referee taking a pass from the quarterback and being allowed to score a touchdown.

[Redbob]

This is merely the logical extension of the Community Center/Health Club that Shelbyville built, thereby putting a local private healthclub (the "Training Barn" of which I was a member) out of business.

This is nothing compared to the $13.5 MILLION waterpark Denton, Texas built just this summer, financed half by the SCHOOL DISTRICT and half by the city recreation department.
(Same school district that can't afford to keep the schoolbuses running...)

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Yes, we are going full tilt toward Socialism. Later, only the government officials will be allowed access. The rest of us will work to keep the grounds up.