Brainstorming / suggestions.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

By the time I got to the end of composing this, I'd rethought the title of this topic. Perhaps we could all use a fresh place/topic to brainstorm and catalog ideas.

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It's been pointed out to me that I'm an outsider looking in.
Groovy.

Truly restoring Dreamland to a park-like setting won't be cheap, but is also won't be all that difficult. it's an easy over-winter project. Are there any national programs in place to help with that soer of project. This seems a special case.
often over here, deals are struck with local govenrment and sometimes levy's are passed (an incredibly small and temporary tax that would cost the average resident a few dollars (pounds) a year).

If the campaign could get the government to restore the grassy areas and install wellwater fed irrigation, perhaps the people of Margate could hold fundraisers to buy trees. You'd probably be suprised how many local merchants would chip in. Even bigger business will sometimes donate for the publicity value.

Now, before anyone cuts this plan to shreds: it's a suggestion. I'm still in the creative thinking process. Something unusual is going to need to happen and I'm just trying to prod some ideas. Those who live there know best. I know I'm far away waving a flag, but I really have no concept of what the economy's like, and how complacent the citizens are.

On a side note: If I lived in or near Margate and Dreamland looked like the I Dream of Dreamland plan, I'd be happy to cough up 10 pounds a year more in taxes. That's cheap entertainment for less than a pound a month and a cheap investment in an improved Margate.

Maybe a public awareness night at the park when it's open.

I'd like to hear what's been done or folks suggestions on things that could be done. Generating interest has a way of generating funding.
Hats off to those working the streets taking polls today.

[Chris H]

Yes Jim

Thats quite a positive post.
I think that would be a great idea to have a public awareness night at the park in the summer considering their is going to be a stage.

I wonder what Sarah thinks about this idea

[vince69619]

I don't mean to sound like I am poo-pooing your ideas, but there is that little problem that the property is owned by a company and none of the ideas you are suggesting are possible unless the owners buy into this.

Their desire is to extract as much cash in a short time as possible, then cut and run, wether this leaves Margate with a tourist industry or not, so we can discuss what we might do with the property 'as if it was ours' until we are blue in the face, the only thing we can actually do is keep the pressure on to try to stop planning approval for non-amusement park development.

Sorry

Vince.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Yup. I understand that.
However, if something can be done to sway the council to re-zone it, it's a feather in our cap.

If enough interest/promise of funding can be generated, two things could happen.
The council will be forced to rethink it's decision to make the land available for redevelopment.
The national government may step in.

It's 2 layers down, yes, but stuff to think about. Proof of a solid future could be a powerful weapon. A carnival ride company setting up rides and no plan to change the setting isn't going to get us as far as fast. It could be a waiting game for the owners to eventually sell at a loss. (This is what's happening at this point. Good for now, but what about the future?)

These ideas a re a little more pro active.

Just things to think about. I'm just trying to get all the gears in our brains moving.

[porterm]

Jim,

Many thanks for your comments. Having just returned from a Winter Coaster Solace weekend event at Knott's Berry Farm in Los Angeles, I was intrigued to hear from a local guy about Six Flags' recent land sale for their former AstroWorld park in Houston. Apparently they only achieved around $30m as opposed to the $100m odd they had been expecting.

Maybe this could be a warning for the real value of any potential land sale at Dreamland. I'd be interested to hear your comments, assuming you know of the Six Flags' recent saga.

Martin

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Actually, that's about an 8 hour freeway car ride from here.
Might as well be another country. I wasn't aware.
If I get a chance, I'll look into it.

I hope you enjoyed your visit.

[Sarah]

I think that would be a great idea to have a public awareness night at the park in the summer considering their is going to be a stage.

I wonder what Sarah thinks about this idea

I think I'd love to organise any kind of event at Dreamland this summer! The operator last year just didn't want to work with us (nothing personal as far as I can make out; he didn't want to work with anyone). Am hoping this season will be different.

Sarah

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Yeah, you'd think an operator would want good things for the park. It only means good things for them.

[Chris H]

Yes Sarah

I Know George Webb personally. His attitude towards the save Dreamland campaign is very positive.

To return a second year running after having such a poor first one money wise shows the passion he has for saving dreamland.

One thing that is for sure is that he would certainly reject any bribes from Bob and his cronies (you all know what i mean).

[Neil]

I don't mean to sound like I am poo-pooing your ideas, but there is that little problem that the property is owned by a company and none of the ideas you are suggesting are possible unless the owners buy into this.

That's very true, and as they would make less profit this way it's unlikely to happen. It also relies on almost unanimous support from the Council. If we can't get them to do something as basic as willing accept a public inspector recommendations then pursuading them to raise taxes to help finance it will be next to impossible.

In terms of fundraising I expect most of us have ideas, but getting people to act on them is the hard part (so a massive thanks to Vince for getting the disco idea off the ground). I suppose part of the problem is that with it being a national campaign many of us (such as yourself) live a long way away making local fundraising difficult. I thought about a sand castle competition, but haven't suggested it until now because living so far away it would be difficult to do much myself and I know those who live locally are rushed off their feet anyway doing things like the survey. I expect our best hope is to remain a pressure group pressing for the park's retention and allowing the experts like Philip Miller to do the rest.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Any fundraisers need to have mass appeal.
Some open air dance parties sound like fun.

Something like a sand castle tourny, well, there's a niche for that. Just look into how to advertise it. Real pros do travel for that stuff.

Keep the gears turning. Ideas are ideas. One may spawn another.

Anyone thought of going corperate? Coca-Cola? Ford?

[Neil]

With the sand castle idea it wasn't a very realisitic idea, because as I say I wouldn't be able to do that much to help orgainse it. However I wasn't thinking of a serious one, but a couple of pounds to enter and you then get an instruction booklet (just a photocopied leaflet), a few accessories like cheap flags you buy in seaside gift shops and a prize like one of those big £10 choclate bars that looks even bigger to children. I wasn't thinking of anything on a particularly large scale, although particpants could take it as seriously as they like. Perhaps to account for age you could have a handicap system like in golf. I haven't thought about it in that much detail though!

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Don't dismiss it. Those are big here. Teams come in with shovels and buckets. REAL shovels and buckets and do incredible things with the sand.

[Sarah]

There was a lot of coverage on our local TV news last year for Brighton's new sandcastle building tournament. And Brighton has a shingle beach - they had to ship all the sand in! As with all events though, to do something big and impressive that will gain serious media coverage and attract lots of people takes a huge amount of time and commitment.

Obviously lots of us here have plenty of the latter, but - for me at least - finding enough time to do all the things I'd like to do for this Campaign is impossible. And as Neil says, it's very difficult for members to organise stuff remotely from miles and miles away.

Sarah

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Yup.
Still, we're here to brainstorm. Let's keep our minds open and the ideas flowing.