the plaza layout

[mellowtigger]

I took photographs of the occupation's plaza this morning. The whole gallery is here. The plaza includes interesting neighbors like US Bank. Only 2 blocks away is a major newspaper headquarters, the Star Tribune.  (If you'd like to donate money to this effort, they are collecting donations at this url, as of 2011 Oct 02: https://www.wepay.com/donate/36134 .)

The north side is mostly paved with lots of lighting and trash bins.



The south side is mostly grass with many shade trees along the landscaped circumference.



The plaza includes a sculpture with these interesting quotes (among others):

ability to voice unpopular opinions
including the working poor
voices actually being heard

Someone has already chalked graffiti on a neighbor's sidewalk at the county Public Safety headquarters:

free everyone

There are only a few rules posted around the plaza:

no parking
no cigarettes
no pets without leashes

Since I'm on the Sanitation committee, I also noted the presence of many trash bins already at the north side of the plaza.  Fewer ones were found on the south side.



I really hope that we can pull this off without breaking any rules at all.  As someone at yesterday's planning meeting said, however:

I don't know how you get a permit for an indefinite occupation.

True enough.

One particular difficulty here in Minnesota that other occupation sites will not face is the cold Minnesota winter.  Seeing how the sunlight reached the ground this morning, I think the best spot for overnighters will be at the northside plaza in the northwest corner.  Morning light may reach there earlier than any other location considering buildings and trees that cast shadows.  I'm not sure if it will be different later in the year as the sun tracks closer to the horizon.  That location also has the distinction of being immediately visible to both US Bank and the light rail commute line.

Anyway... the adventure begins, I suppose.

Comments

[furr_a_bruin]

I would imagine people in MN might be more likely to have "four season" tents than people here in CA; that will help some. I don't want to increase your trash problem, but from my sojourns to Badger Flat (roughly a mile and a half altitude!) I can vouch for the 8-hour chemical heat packs ("Thermacare" is a brand name, often there are cheaper generic versions) usually sold for sore muscles and such. Under one's clothes or even in a sleeping bag, it's amazing how much they help.

And then of course, there's the big guns - propane heaters. Many are not safe to use inside a tent, but Coleman's catalytic heaters are. I have an older model and it works beautifully. (On camping trips, I generally use it just to ease the transition between being clothed and being in bed, whichever direction that's going - but it's certainly possible to use one to keep warm otherwise.) If you're involved with sanitation when it gets cold, you might need to consider a recycling drop off for expended propane cylinders.

[mellowtigger]

Thanks! I've been asking people with knowledge of Burning Man and also Radical Faerie gatherings for their suggestions too. I'm feeling a lot more confident now that I've heard back from the main group again. :)