Ah, Guardian, you dreamer you! Expecting Boise officials to care about Boiseans — or the public in general. Still, I hope you rattle some cages.
I, too, would love to see the Depot open again. But I’d really love to see it open as a depot — complete with trains and train service — remember them?

Some years back, before the feds or somebody decided Idahoans don’t count, Boise had Amtrak service, just like the “real” states on the sunrise side of the nation. My wife and I boarded the train at the depot for a trip to Washington, D.C.– A very enjoyable journey — meals in the dining car, drinks in the bar car, the length of the train to explore when I wanted to stretch my legs, a totally laid-back, restful way to get somewhere, unlike the frenzied rush to get locked up in an aluminum tube, blasted thousands of feet into the air while crammed in like sardines, unable to view the passing scenery (though it must have been down there), and basically having a miserable time.

The only drawback was we had to sit up several of the nights each way because Amtrak brass decided not to put on enough sleeper cars. When I asked why, I was told not enough people were using the sleepers. Well, as many as could fit into them were using them, so, obviously the only way to have more people use them would be to hook more sleeping cars into the train, duh.

But, no, officials would rather get rid of trains, close depots, and then sit around and whine about how much traffic there is on the highways and how the skies are too crowded, and how they need zillions of dollars to build more roads and airports (to serve airlines that are going broke).

So dream on, my friend, of a depot open to the public, and I will dream on about that depot then being put to its intended use.

Why doesnt Mayor Beiter and his crew consider including the Boise Depot with their list of city properties they can sell to finance libraries, etc. (Items they wish to purchase that the people have voted no).

At least in this scenario the people of Boise would then be most likely able to use the old depot grounds for something other than to collect pigeon crap…. or to line the pockets of the few “chosen vendors or caterers”

Does anyone know how much “revenue” has been generated by the letting of the Depot for private soires? It would be interesting to know how much the Parks Dept makes off of keeping the public out. I just wish the Director would man-up to this issue. He always sends someone more “expendable” to deal with the press on depot matters. The last time he did that a tiger had attacked someone. I’m thinking the public is just too much of a nuisance around the depot and receptions are where the action is.

Watch out Elaine and Alan might sell the Depot to one of their developer friends for more CONDOS!

“Kingdom” is an apt if not mild way of describing Boise Parks management.

The real story here is Elaine, Eberle, and Alan; they are sooooo very elitist. I’d bet the farm that they are the ones behind this latest mess, along with the Parks fellow.

We can’t have any nomads around here, can we?

Folks, when gas hits $5.00/gallon trains will again become popular. The car companies will not make super energy efficient cars fast enough. Micron will scream because its Canyon County employees won’t be able to afford to drive their Tahoes to work. Give it time. The Depot will be busy again in the near future. You can talk about it when gas hits $3.00/gal this summer.

Even though city officials talk about “rail” they know it falls into the same subsidized program bucket as busses.

The fact is that they know that it will nieiher pay for itself or significantly reduce traffic. Even if there was a train it would need to go downtown – NOT to the Depot. If the train goes to the depot you would have to condem homes around it to provide parking or bus access and you would have to have busses to take riders from there to downtown – this is VERY ineffecient and city officals know it.

Note- How do you think all those multi-millionaires who buy condos on Crescent Rim will feel about trains every 30 minutes 35 feet from their doors. Going to be hard to sell condos next to the tracks. Doubt we see that fact in the glossy sales lit from Mr. Clark.

To pay for a train the city would also have to raise taxes significantly. Then there is the “power” issue of who “controls the infrastructure and the MONEY”.

Their current approach is to create as much traffic congestion as possible in hope to get voters to agree to try rail – whatever the cost. Both approaches will fail and are deeply flawed.

We Hear You Knocking, But You Can’t Come In,
We Hear You Knocking, Go Back Where You Been…

Boise Parks Department is not for common Boise residents and taxpayers who own the parks and pay their wages. When are you/us commoners going to realize your/our place?

Promises from Parks are cheap. A lawsuit against them would win but we would end up paying the tab but let’s do it!

Caterers and “preferred vendors” probably can be from anywhere as long as use of the depot is for profit.

I don’t know why us citizens can’t use it any time we want to. Some of us work different hours and days than most of the people.

I like the idea of the Depot being the “welcome center” for residents and visitors. There are some cool contraptions that run on railroad tracks, even if the tracks go to nowhere. I have never had the opportunity to climb or take the elevator to the top of the bell tower and view the City of Trees. I would even pay to do it, plus pay my taxes to have it taken care of and protected.

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter is an elitist. Forget about him becoming a realist. They beat that out of people in law school.

Jon – the double standard is the Mayor and Council who cannot keep their word. Promise something and not deliver…..That’s “convenient”.

Jon, Nothing duplicitous about Guardian “freewheeling” with 75k. If we did away with some of the unnecessary layers of insulating management in the Parks area, it wouldn’t take long to come up with 75k in base money for this purpose. The depot is already purchased, it was already promised, if costs 75k, then lets get on it with. Let the cartoons begin.