Tried this last year, but never received a response.
I have a plan for managing/cleaning up the Patrons campgrounds. I would love to come up and discuss the plan with whoever is responsible for the Patrons campgrounds. My plan has worked out quite well for Sherwood Forest Faire, where we don't have "incidents" as we control access into the Patrons campgrounds.
Yeh, it requires spending money for bulldozing, laying in power and water lines, building showers and flushies, so George probably is against it, but this has been a real game changer at SWFF.
Most of my weekends are available, except those with my submarine veterans (3rd Saturday each month) or during Volunteer work weekends at SWFF. Hmm, when are the volunteer work weekends at TRF, where Patrons can help maintain the grounds and have a great time celebrating together? Oh yeh, not a TRF thing.
Hugs,
SWFF Campgrounds Manager
Resident Druid and caretaker of the Seven Sisters stone circe
I'll be impressed if they actually respond. Not holding my breath, though, as the concept of up-front investment for long-term payout is something George seems to have forgotten
I commend you for trying, Mike. My hope for you and the reality of George and how things have been in the past however leave me waiting to just see what happens.
Since the new GM, Terre, posted his phone number on these forums, I will share the info.
Terre's post
http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=14083.msg302544#msg302544
Relevant quote:
"I would encourage anyone who wants to meet me stop by the office or call me 281-356-2178."
Thanks for reposting the number. I try to read everything in this forum. I'm available anytime to discuss TRF and ways to improve it.
No problem, Terre.
I look forward to meeting you in person one of these weekends.
Okay, I have an appointment with Terre on August 6th.
I have a general plan, but I'd appreciate input from everyone.
What do you want in the Patrons Campgrounds?
I already have a plan for reducing the parking area to campgrounds access (make a single access road). Plus using a camping wristband that has worked quite well at Sherwood Forest Faire.
Plus building showers and flushies and an RV dump station.
Need positive inputs with plans on how to implement. In other words, don't give me "get the ravers out" without how to do it. Or "make camping charges less" without how to reduce the cost of trash pickup or night-time security which has grown over the past few years.
Nothing may come of this, but unless we make the effort to tell TRF management of our needs and wants, there will be no improvement.
If you're going to go after showers in patron camping, may I recommend looking into tankless water heaters?
It sucks enough having to wait to take a shower, but it sucks extra when there is zero hot water, especially when it's cold out.
As for getting rid of the ravers, I usually go with cattle prods and Barry Manilow.
When considering the roads near the campgrounds, please remember that participants and overflow patrons need those roads to get OUT. Anything that impedes that will be bad. Participants CANNOT go out the main gate or Toon Town. On those 25K+ days, TRF has no choice but to send patrons out the camp gate also.
A simple barrier fence between the parking lot and camp grounds with controlled access points would do a world of good.
This biggest issue that I'd have with that is on those night after faire when I want to go out into the campgrounds to visit with my friends. I don't want to have to pay the car fee if I'm not staying the night. That's the one thing that I wish I could do out at Sherwood is visit the campgrounds without having to pay the fee if I'm not staying the night.
I like the fact that I can park on the campground side or the parking and visit for a bit while I let the traffic die down. I get some good food and see some friends that I may have missed in faire without having to pay the camping fee...but then again like I said I'm not staying the night...just visiting. If I do want to stay the night then I'd gladly pay the fee.
Quote from: crashbot on July 16, 2011, 06:41:46 PM
A simple barrier fence between the parking lot and camp grounds with controlled access points would do a world of good.
Agreed but, again, on super heavy days TRF needs to use the main camp road as an exit road. Constricting the traffic flow at any point will result in even more mayhem than is already there.
I don't know the answer to this but simply adding another exit may not be all that easy. Contrary to popular belief, TRF does NOT own all the land on that side of 1774.
- Choking off the access is a bad idea for the reasons mentioned, at least until TRF undergoes a radical overhaul of their access roads.
- Showers are a good idea, but they will need to be in an area that is A) well-lit, and B) well-patrolled or monitored to prevent any issues.
- I think something akin to the reserved areas/personal maintenance for the larger camping clans (say, 30+ people on-site) that Sherwood uses would be mutually beneficial. I also think it will be a logistical nightmare to hammer out putting into practice, but worth it in the long run.
- INCREASED SECURITY!!! Either upping the security presence in the campgrounds, or allowing the camping clans to hire their own (legitimate and licensed) to keep their people and stuff safe (primarily the former, however). We need more security out there, but in its absence the clans will take care of their own, putting themselves at increased liability risks (not to mention the last thing anyone wants is drunken vigilantism, which we all know bloody well has been an issue in the past when security was too lax).
- Close off those areas prone to flooding easily, as most people are ignorant of what spots will turn into raging rivers when the sky water falls. Turn them into decorative areas, but spare future campers the woes of snorkling their way out of their tent at 3am.
Drainage at faire in general could use an overhaul.
1 inch of rain and TRF becomes the Faire of a Thousand Lakes.
If Terre happens to be in a giving mood, we could use another set of showers on the Odeon stage side :)
Having only camped at TRF once myself (family used to camp often but it became an unpleasant experience over time), my input relies on what I found at Sherwood and reading posts about TRF camping.
RV dump station and flushies are great ideas. With flushies there should be wash basins which would give campers fresh water – a sponge bath in the tent would be option instead of expense of showers and security. Does the big restroom at the entrance have showers? I thought it did, but not sure. What is reason that facility is not open to campers after hours? Security?
Charge per-person fee for camping instead of per-car, wrist band required to be put on wrist at gate. The wristbands work quite well at Sherwood with different colors for weekends.
Require (and enforce) purchase of a faire ticket upon entering campgrounds for camping. Entering campgrounds, stamp the ticket with the weekend date so it can only be used that weekend. That could help prevent people from purchasing one ticket and using it for the run of the season. (Sorry, this might also keep out the people who want to be with friends, but cannot afford the ticket that weekend.)
For visitors who are not staying the night, but still want to go in camping area, perhaps a deposit (equal to camp fee) for a special one-night visitors band that gets (partially) refunded when visitor turns the band in upon leaving might work. Charge one or two bucks to cover the cost of the gate keeper. Anybody staying past a certain time (prominently posted at the gate) would end up paying the entire camping fee and only good that one night.
Adding a fence between parking and camping could be done with walk through gate with gate keeper for campers (and for paying visitors). Campers flash their wristbands as they come and go. The road itself could have a gate that would be opened during high exit traffic time, then closed for the night and the next day. I doubt many people would be jumping out of a car in that line just to get into campgrounds free.
Encourage local law enforcement to perform random raids for drugs and underage drinking. It may be private property, but Texas law is enforceable. Small law enforcement departments could make a bit of money from fines to more than cover the cost. Pick up the ravers once or twice and they will get the message. Post notices at camp entrances and focal points (aka fire circle) that underage drinking and drugs will not be tolerated.
Polly PoPo
There was extremely good police presence, last season... they rode through camp a few times, checking on things and making sure rules were being followed. They responded to reports in good order and took their "babysitting" duties seriously... It was a marked improvement over other years. They know what areas breed trouble and what areas are quiet/mind there own business... and patrol accordingly. During AHE, i can't remember any trouble happening over in the negatives...
Gotcha. I only remember the issues from '09 as I wasn't there last year
Oh, i'm sure there still are problems but the epicenter is the fire circle... it spreads out in waves from there...
*I talked to one LEO( as a young kid hurled chunks on his cruiser hood) that said that 90% of his job was babysitting fools like the one barfing on his hood* :D
I agree, there was a marked increase in police patrols. Even dismounted officers walking down the access roads, which i do not recall seeing any of in the past.