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By Kerri Provost, July 29, 2010 6:57 am

There is a reason for “putting it in writing.” A phone call does not provide the permanent type of record that a letter or an email does; moreover, it does not provide the same argument that something in writing provides. But sometimes, even this type of correspondence does not put enough pressure on the parties involved.

The best development to happen to Hartford’s 311 service has been the dynamic map that has been made available to the public. This map shows recent open and closed complaints.

It enables one to look at cases throughout the city, zoom in on areas of interest, and determine what problems exist where (and which ones are never dealt with). For instance, I made a graffiti complaint using SeeClickFix on July 7. The 311 service did not respond to that until July 16, though the GIS Services map marked the complaint on July 13. Though this is not what I would consider prompt response time, it is a great improvement over my interactions with the 311 service via email — some of which received no response. The graffiti, at least of three days ago, remains; however, the complaint itself has been publicly acknowledged on this map. When an issue has been resolved, the complaint is removed from the 311 map.

Some common complaints/queries: burned out streetlights, tax, “non-urgent housing condition” (blight?), waste not picked up, and condition of parks/city property.

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By Kerri Provost, July 26, 2010 10:05 pm

You might want to hold off until October to watch these, or at least sit in a very air conditioned room.

What committee meetings are all about:

You can also hear about the basics of City Council meetings in the first fireside chat video. If you don’t care about the basics, watch this anyway for a cheap laugh as a baby tries to pick a politician’s nose.

The second fireside chat is devoted to teaching us about what the deal is with commissions and task forces. I found this the most informative, as now I can prepare my letter to the mayor expressing my interest in any task force dealing with fashion, especially fashion mistakes.

The rest of the Council needs to step it up. Who’s going to do a poolside chat? Perhaps someone can cover how to effectively deliver an opinion at the beginning of a Council meeting.

Comments (3)

By Kerri Provost, July 12, 2010 12:27 pm

It’s a little nauseating how frequently people whine about how the City can not do X,Y, and Z because of budget constraints. Obviously, we do not have a limitless well to draw from, but it takes very little creativity to see where the city can trim fat in order to fund better projects and services.

Here’s a tip for all the politicians who might have just no idea of where to start cutting back:

Look for examples of clear waste. This photo was taken yesterday in Bushnell Park in the late afternoon. It was hours from sunset and not remotely overcast, yet the lights were on in the park. How much money is wasted just by leaving the lights on?

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By Kerri Provost, June 14, 2010 7:28 am

On June 10th I provided a guide to arriving and traveling Downtown via Space Age methods. Today, we’re going to look at old-fangled modes of transportation and where to park them.

Bicycles

I have locked my bicycle to all manner of things — sign posts, building utility meters, benches — but I prefer to use a designated rack.  Bike racks are usually sturdier than flimsy sign posts and other makeshift racks. Bike locks and pedals tend to scratch and chip paint. I know that my bike has removed bits of paint from a certain mural, and for this I feel guilty, but if there were a better place to lock my bike, I would use that option. Some people are fine with destroying property, but I don’t like to do this. It adds to an appearance of shabbiness.

Visible, accessible bicycle parking is something that especially needs to be addressed by the organizations and businesses that boast about their so-called green cred. Without naming names, there are a few establishments that want us to know how environmentally awesome they are, and while they are in fact involved in many worthy eco-ventures, it seems like few have done anything to counter one of the largest threats to the environment — car dependency. If bike racks are not outdoors or in a visible spot, like the lobby, then such organizations should at least mention where bicycle parking is on their grounds by posting information to their websites. Everyone provides directions and info about automobile parking lots. Why not do the same for those who would like to visit but can not, do not, or prefer not to drive?

While you can go ahead and park your bike anywhere, here is a list of places with actual bike racks.  If there are any I have omitted, let me know.

Locations of Honest-to-Goodness Bicycle Racks

• Hartford Public Library - sheltered in parking garage next to building. If this is full, you can use the one across the street at…
• City Hall — on side facing library
• Union Station — racks near entrances on either side of building Continue reading 'Parking Bikes and Butts'»
  

Comments (3)

By Kerri Provost, June 10, 2010 7:00 am

A glance at my blog stats tells me how people find Real Hartford. Some of the most frequent things people are searching for: Puerto Rican Day Parade, cupcakes, First Night photos, sangria, a bike tour, and various other things related to transportation, namely, parking. A recent verbal request to write about getting to Hartford and then parking here sealed any doubts I might have had about whether or not this was something to spend time creating. I will try to review this information regularly and make updates when necessary.

If coming from wicked far…
Plane: Bradley International Airport (BDL) is not in Hartford, no matter how much they might announce that in the airport; you probably are not going to walk downtown from the tarmac. Their website lists local buses as the last option. Unless you are arriving in the middle of the night, consider this your first option. During the week, a bus leaves from the airport just about every hour starting with a bit before 5 a.m. and continues until just after midnight, arriving in front of the Old State House. The weekend hours are only slightly shorter. The rate per passenger is $1.25, but then you can transfer to a city bus to get closer to your destination.

There are also rental cars, limousines, and taxi cabs that you can take to get to Hartford. Those do not cost $1.25. One limousine company lists its rate from Bradley to the Holiday Inn in Hartford as $30 one-way. Taking a taxi to Hartford would cost you $44. The least expensive car rental (for one-day) out of Bradley appears to be around $80, not counting taxes, gasoline, and what have you, which then brings the sum closer to $100.

Take the bus.

Train: You will actually be in Downtown Hartford when arriving by train. There are cabs that hang out in front of the station, but as we’ve established, unless you’re rich, this is not the best option. Hartford is small and walkable, so even if you need to get to the deep South End, you can probably manage to walk across the street, pay your $1.25 for the bus, transfer to one heading where you need to be, and not deal with a cabbie taking bizarre routes while the meter is running. Another option, if you are just planning to go downtown, is to take the Star Shuttle. It stops near the taxi stand behind Union Station, comes every fifteen minutes, does a loop around Downtown, and is free. It also gets very little use, so you would have more room for any luggage you might be schlepping.

Greyhound/Peter Pan Bus: You would also arrive at Union Station, so pretend you took the train instead and follow those instructions.

If coming from medium far…
Depending on what time of day you want to get here or leave, it might be best to not drive into the city. Many people express an inability to find parking (we’ll get to that), or lack the desire to sit in traffic, or are not savvy to the wayward pedestrian.

One option is to use a Park & Ride. You can see a map of these locations on the CT DOT website. These fares vary by zone. For instance, the Avon Park & Ride at the Route 44 Wal-Mart Plaza will run you $2.25, whereas coming up from the Old Saybrook Railroad Station on Route 1 will cost you $4.30. Considering the cost of gas, headache of dealing with traffic, and then the cost to park, even $4.30 seems reasonable. The CTTransit website lists the Express Bus routes.

The problem with some of the Express Bus Service is that it assumes you are coming to Hartford to hop into a cubicle for the day. The Newington Express, for example, only leaves the town during a two hour period on weekday mornings, and then leaves Downtown Hartford for a shorter period in the late afternoon. My suggestion is to check the site to see how flexible the service near you happens to be. Continue reading 'Where to Park It'»

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By Kerri Provost, May 25, 2010 8:29 am

I’m updating some of the other pages of this blog, but since not everyone makes it into these sections, I thought I would publish this information also on the front page. If you’re an old time reader or don’t care about this kind of thing, then just enjoy the photograph of roses in my neighborhood and then move along.

Answers to Frequently, Sporadically, and Rarely Asked Questions
History
Real Hartford began in March 2007 as a “Town Blog” hosted by CT Local Politics. In July 2009 it moved to its current address. During the life of this blog, I have lived in the South Green, West End, and Frog Hollow neighborhoods. I recently purchased a home in Frog Hollow; so far, I love the home and the neighborhood. I enjoy being in a vibrant and diverse community, and only blocks from “New England’s Hispanic Main Street‘” (a designation that makes me both smile and roll my eyes).

This blog was born all slimy, kicking and screaming out of my discontent with how my home was being portrayed by the mainstream media and by some vocal, ill-mannered people in surrounding towns. It has been nurtured by those in the community who also understand that stereotypes are for the intellectually lazy.
Blog Content and How to Contact Author

To inform about upcoming actions and events in Hartford CT, send press releases to me by email; please give at least several days of notice before an event, as there are not legions of reporters here, just me. When my schedule allows, I go to events that seem to have the intention of improving life in Hartford, continue to add vibrancy to the city’s cultures, or have a socio-political aim. Unlike the television news or newspapers, I apply critical thinking. I do not have loyalty to any politician, political party, organization or corporation; additionally, I do not claim to approach any story, event, or issue with an ounce of objectivity, as humans are not objective beings. National events get plenty of coverage on other blogs and in the mainstream media, so limit press releases to local events. I almost exclusively write about Hartford. Generally speaking, I am not going to waste virtual ink on events that I can not afford to attend. An exception will be made occasionally if I believe the cause is a very good one or if something about the event seems particularly awesome to me. I could cite the economic meltdown we’ve been experiencing as my reasoning for this, but it’s not. Hartford has consistently been plagued with high poverty rates, yet it is the capitol of the richest (or second richest, depending on the year) state in the country. So, I have to ask: Is it good for the Hartfordites? Is this event something that either the majority of my neighbors could afford to attend or something that will benefit the community greatly? Continue reading 'Real Hartford Blog FAQ Refresher'»