I wasn't there, but now I wanna know what's the deal with Raymond?

Who's this raymond fellow, and why is he a jackass?

He's the part time but there every day for the last 22 years park guy that came over and kicked us out of the tennis courts and called the cops on us. Said we needed a permit, but we couldn't have one, since they were closed, to which we asked why he was there if they were closed.

He wouldn't tell us his name, said to read his badge. To which Sveden stepped up close to him and pointed out that his badge was turned backwards, so he couldn't read it, and Sveden wasn't going to touch him to read it...

He went back in to the building soon after that...

which he said was closed... he needs a life.

Just a heads up for you guys as far as the MPRB goes - the Bikeballers have recently been in a bit of a run-in with an over-zealous citizen who thinks we're ripping up the fields at Lake of the Isles - he's called the police twice, standing in the middle of the game on his cell phone until the popo show up. What a dick. It's the soccer players creating the bulk of the damage, not us.

The po-po thinks he's a nut, but the Park's dept. has gotten involved somewhat, and are on the verge of doing an evaluation about bikeball - you guys may get sucked up in that if you try to get permits.

As of right now, it seems to be don't ask/don't tell - we're not allowed to apply for a permit until an evaluation is done, and we're not pushing it because we don't want an eval. If we do have to do an eval, we're going to request the same for other activities - that'll slow them down.

That crap aside, we're still playing every thursday night (as we have for the last 20 years) so common out and swing a bat - we play on the NW corner of Calhoun at 6:30, the game moves to Kenwood park when the fields on Calhoun is reserved for other games. We have extra bats, so come on out. Bring a MTB and switch your levers for best results.

http://www.bikeball.com

We need to print out the materials previously
referenced and just go to the park during office
hours and talk to someone. Since we're not a
league, it's probably free, eh? At least that's the
impression I got. Not that I agree w/ how we were
approached, but he started working at that park
when I was nine. Just follow the rules, we'll probably
be okay...

If not, we just find other courts and go on tour...
what about here.

those are delasalle high school
we could also go here... http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2036392

Bottineau has a skatepark, too. I'll do polo on the skatepark.

Careful what you ask for, I would just play wherever you like until someone tells you that you legally can't. The worst that can happen is that they call the park police, and they won't do anything - because it's currently not illegal.

With you guys playing on tennis courts and other surfaces designed and designated for specific activities you'll be under even higher scrutiny. You have to understand how the Park Board works, when you ask about something they don't have any rules for - they have to risk the public scrutiny that may result, they're going to play it safe and say no to cover their butts.

Remember, they don't want to add more rules - but will if pushed. Don't be the pusher. We learned this the hard way with the MTB trails.

The policy at the MPRB is that you only need a permit if you wish to reserve a park resource, I'm trying to tell you that their current policy is no permits for bikeball or bike polo until an eval has been made. It's currently in a gray area - if you ask for a permit you will only be reminding them that they need to make decision.

I believe permits are $13 an hour - btw. Also, no bikeball this Thursday.

sleehw, my only concern is this one guy -- and just
this one guy. And his concern wasn't what we were
doing, it was what we weren't doing, which is signing
a piece of paper. If that's really all he wants (some
sort or formality), I think it's worth it, especially if it
makes him happy, and if it gives us some sort of
legitimacy. I'm not suggesting we pay or petition the
park board for a rules change, I'm just saying if our
only obstacle is signing a piece of paper to make this
one guy happy, what's the big deal?

peedubya - I guess I'm not sure what their asking you to sign, is a sign-in sheet for the courts or something.

You guys aren't doing anything illegal - last time the cops showed up at our game they just shook their heads and rolled away, no problems. They have better things to do.

If there's a dude in the park bldg that's
going to come kavetch every time unless
we sign his silly waiver, what's the hassle?

I know what you're saying -- but this isn't
the PB, it's just some employee who's been
at the same park for 22 years who apparently
has a piece of paper he wants us to sign.

Sheesh, I'll just shut up and go investigate
myself. I'd rather avoid future confrontations,
especially if all he wants is us to say, "Hi,
we want to use the courts on Sunday," and
he says, "Okay, that's cool, just sign this."

It doesn't make us less cool to try to appease
this dork... no matter the legality. It's his park,
and it's not like he told us we couldn't play, he
just told us to tell him we want to play. Silly?
Perhaps. But we're being pretty silly bitching
about it when the solution is actually quite
simple...

no, its our park. Paid for with money taken at gunpoint.

Fuck him.

What don't you just flash him your piece the next time he talks to us?

Stubbornness solves all.