Kevin has done a wonderful job of debunking John's
laundry list of woes. Let me go farther and give
Dennis' "fantasy" history lesson of the day.
GGF was lost due to a failure to endear ourselves to
the local government, not for sound control nor
squirrel control issues. We failed to earn a permit or
renewal thereof. Nobody on that commission championed
our cause at the meetings. We were neither locals nor
contributors to the community. Paying rent ain't
enough to be counted as a contributor in such a
community. Maybe we should have put in a people's park
to make them happy... The sound issue was always a red
herring and a conveniently easier explanation. The
future will not be long at GGF without a change in
approach folks.
GGF is not nearly as magic as our rosy memories paint
it. I put on a school there three years ago and found
the pavement both smaller and rougher than I recalled.
I had recalled a "mystical mystery tour", and after
Pleasanton it surely was. The four airports have
truely spoiled our ability to appreciate sites like
GGF and Pleasanton. [Remember we were fresh out of the
small, rough, Pleasanton site for perspective.] That
school fell into my lap ten days before it happened so
I had nothing to do with obtaining the lot but felt it
not really worth pursuing at that time.
SFR site scarcity is really a silly concept. ONLY 5 or
6 premium sites? Only 40 or 50 events to choose from
during a year? Huh? Where else in the world are there
even three sites or 20 weekends available?
Don't we need a new cause to campaign for here?? Maybe
something for the children? [Where were the kiddy
karts at last weekend's school anyway?]
As one of those "folks/clowns" who voted to allow non
members to participate, and who has since been chased
off [is that why? I still don't know why I was chased
off], I mean no longer participates, let me tell some
more.
At the time of opening the events to the public, the
old "evil Council" [ not my perspective BTW] had
folded and there was no feeder system to attract new
people into autocrossing in general, SCCA in
particular. Folks weren't going to pay the $50
membership plus an event entry to try the game once.
Still won't methinks. SCCA had won a 25 year
competition and this was the reward. Do your own
recruitment. SCCA needed to have someway to bring in
new folks. The rulebook doesn't get that job done. The
committee meetings don't either. Maybe Jesus is now
successful enough that he can supply The Club with new
folks to replace those who "decline to participate any
longer", monthly. Maybe.
As far as whether SFR ought to have open or closed
events, I don't care, it is none of my business. Just
thought I should tell the "official fantasy" view of
what went on since history has again been brought up....
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Dennis Hale
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