Rotary Gardens to charge fee

love to scrap- I couldn't agree more. This is a very brief enjoyment for the kids. My kids are younger, and, it is about 30 minutes for us. I have 4, so it would be $30 for us. There is no way I will pay that. That is the price of a ticket for one person to Six Flags or Noah's Ark, where the kids are entertained for a full day (11 hours). Currently, we go to the gardens 4-5 times over the summer. I love the fish and my kids love the bridges. It will be sad to never see it again. And, I wouldn't have a problem with a more reasonable fee- $2 per person and $5 per family would be good. I donate more than that every time we go.

lovetoscrap - Just curious, but did you donate money for the enjoyment of looking at the fish and ducks and smelling the flowers or did you just do this because you could do it for free?

Well, I went today and walked around the gardens with my family. We enjoyed looking at the fish and the ducks and smelling the flowers. As we left, my husband looked at me and said "Well, this is probably the last time we will come here as I am not paying $20 for a 45 minute visit". I have to agree with him. Yes, a small charge would be fine. I like the $2 per person or $5 per family, but $5 per person is too steep. He said they would be learning the hard way and I am guessing he is right. There won't be enough people in this town who will be willing to part with $20 for a family of four for such a short time of entertainment. Someone here mentioned we would spend $5.00 on a movie. Well, yes we do spend about $3.50 on one and all four of us watch it for about 2 hours. That is a big difference when you consider $20 for 45 minutes (how long we were there today) and $3.50 for two hours. Microwave popcorn completes the deal for a total of around $5. I am down to filling up my tank once every three weeks, so I have cut down there as well. It will be all areas of our lives that we cut back on. I'm pretty much guaranteeing we won't be increasing our budget in any areas. Maybe I'll sneak one more time in this year :)

soside4life - By the way, it's just beliefs if you wanted to be corrected. And yes, you are welcome :). Now, I'm done arguing with you about something this pointless. If you want to continue to attack me for getting on your case about attacking others, go ahead. But clearly, that will show your true maturity level if you decide to continue. This space is for important and serious topics followed by serious comments and points of view, nothing more, nothing less. So thank you very much for wasting my time and the time of others with your relentless and immature "ways of expression." Have a good day.

soside4life - One, the 5 year old comment was a mistake towards someone else so why did you bother commenting? It made no sense and if you actually think anyone here believes you to be mature, you are more clueless than I thought. And two, why do you care how I got into it? Like you, I'm stating my opinion and your posts are clearly annoying to more people than just myself. As for an apology, you can forget it. I can read your posts just fine, that's the problem. Your previous posts were bashing on others so why should they have to put up with you? Honestly, grow up and take that stuck up attitude of yours somewhere else, or have your comments deleted completely, your choice. But really, if others besides myself are commenting on your posts what does that say? Change what you say or how you say it, simple. Do you think you can manage to understand that?

Let's take a poll, shall we? How many of you would like to see taxes properly fund Rotary Gardens and then be free to residents? Is there time for a referendum to be on the ballot in November?

I think that some people have the misguided notion that the city somehow supports the Gardens. Because of that, I think that people feel some sort of entitlement as it relates to admission. Some people have pointed out Olbrich gardens in Madison as a "low" cost example. However, Olbrich is also heavily subsidized by the City of Madison and Dane County. How many of you fee opposers would be screaming bloody murder if the city increased your taxes to help fund it?

How could anyone honestly think that if one wishes to go to a nice place like the Rotary Gardens and enjoy it that one would not have to pay a little something for the privilege? If one goes down to the bar, is one's beer free?

Keep feeding the troll folks. This discussion is not about how people type. Trolls love food. Stop feeding them, they move on to greener pastures. When are people going to realize that?

I don't understand what people don't get. If they don't wanna pay then go when it's free. Not that hard to figure out folks.

For everyone who is complaining about spelling, grammatical errors, punctuation, caps, or whatever, I would like to remind you of the saying "If you point a finger at someone remember there are three more pointing at you." Now, what was this article about? Oh yeah . . .

I'm NOT trying to be mean...just STANDING up for my belief's here! (or is it beliefs'...is THAT the proper grammar?! lol!...Anyone, just LET ME KNOW! :)

Igirl..."Was I talking to you? I mean really, how old are you, 5? It shows...and really we need more mature people in this world, not some little brat who can't even stand me pointing out the immaturity of another person who can't keep their mouth shut when they need to."
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lol! EXACTLY what you said! ;)

Igirl~ This is kinda funny now. (No LOL's or !! re: atleast w/ this post) I don't know how you got into this. Why did you anyways?
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This is to you & the others who have such a problem with the way I write. I suppose I feel I can't clearly get my point (or my beliefs) across using little letters, etc. That's just how I write. I'm sorry if some of you can't read it. Does that mean I need to be attacked? Attacked in this post & other posts? I don't think so. Neither does someone else who writes similar or spells something wrong.
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But, when you attack or belittle me first, on how I write or my take on things (if it is something I feel strongly about) you can expect to be attacked back about your writing skills (interject calling the kettle black) & opinion, too. (interject exclamation point & smiley face, too.)
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No, I'm not a know-it-all here and never claimed to be. And neither are you. Or anyone here (or there), for that matter. (interject smiley face...I'm sorry, I just have to! :)
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I will await your apology. (Others, too.)

My bad, I thought he was getting on my case since it was right after my post, I apologize jvldude. Thanks Zoom for pointing that out.

uuhhh...lgirl, jvldude was basically agreeing with you.

jvldude - What would you call yourself, smart? You have to use exclamation marks and caps to make a point along with the constant lol's. Was I talking to you? I mean really, how old are you, 5? It shows...and really we need more mature people in this world, not some little brat who can't even stand me pointing out the immaturity of another person who can't keep their mouth shut when they need to.

That style reminds me of the realtor that uses exclamation points in all of his house descriptions. After reading a few, it loses it's impact, and just becomes irritating.

LOL LOL everthing is SO FUNNY)()()()()(!!!!!!LMAO QQLLOLLOLLOOLLL. GOSH LOL I think I AM SO FUNNY!!!!!!!LAMO!!!!!LOL LOL LAMFO !!!!!I'd have to say you have to be the dumbest person to post on this site. Please don't have children and pollute the world with your DNA. Its not expressive typing ITS DUMMY TYPING!!!!

soside4life- Let me correct my error so you won't complain. If a place like that exists* I believe that will be my only gramatical error since you seem to be so keen on correction.

soside4life - I can't help but notice your comments with the caps, exclamation marks and your rather immature comments. This is a place for people to discuss the issue of the following passage posted above, not to bash each other on what they say and how they say it. You are being arrogent and the only person that is amused is yourself. Really, take your immature comments and attitude to a place where it's wanted and needed, if that a place like that exists. Otherwise, just hold your tongue and grow up or don't comment at all, simple. If you decide to get on my case for pointing out your foolish behavior, I will have your comments deleted, so don't waste your time, most of all mine.

socill- i also find your posts hard to read also but i get threw it just like people get threw mine because of my spelling and grammar that so many of you remind me of ALL THE TIME :>(. I am not that stupid that I dont know that it is bad thanks!!
So just blow them off.

It will cost us no matter what. If they don't charge a fee then our property taxes will go up. If they charge a user's fee only the people that use the gardens will be paying for it.

FRom a friend "Janesville- City of Parks but it will cost you"

"....And more importantly, do you really laugh out loud as much as you write it?", says lakennedy....YES, I MOST DEFINATELY DO!! :) :) :) LOL! ;) It is EXTREMELY entertaining to me to watch how SOME of you 'THINK' they know EVERYTHING & "have to" comment about ALL & NOTHING!! ;) LMAO!! ~HILARIOUS!!~
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OBVIOUSLY, ALOT of people understand my "EXPRESSIVE" writing (..& OTHERS who write this way, too! ;)...But, IF YOU DON'T, then JUST move along to the next post!!! (hey, it's that simple! no need to make snide "comments"!! and look...in "little" letters for you & others (tincj?! jvldude?!) to understand, too! :) LOL!!!!...)
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"...and nothing of value to say."....EXAMPLE HERE PLEASE tincj! LOL!! :) SERIOUSLY!! This is a "Prime Example"...IF you CAN'T read it (or UNDERSTAND it~duh! :)...MOVE ALONG!!!
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jvldude says.."soside4life. Your a tool"....As are you! :) My grammar is fine here, but OBVIOUSLY you STILL have to work on your punctuation!!! LOL!!! :)

It's pretty sad that we can't even enjoy flowers, fresh air, and a quiet atmosphere for free anymore. It's just another way for the city to make some cash because the council spends our tax money on god knows what. Rotary Gardens will lose buisness because people would rather put that $5.00 towards a tank of gas, not to gaze at flowers you can grow in your backyard.

soside4life. Your a tool

Wait a minute, lots of people will pay $5 for a pack of cigarettes, a gallon of gas, renting a Hollywood Garbage movie, a six pack of beer, but will be mad if they have to pay $5 for a wonderful scenic place with no time limit? please.

I must be missing something here. Nowhere in any of the articles referring to an admission fee to the "Gardens" do I see that the city has/had any input as to the amount that will be charged. The only thing the council did was give them permission to charge a fee. Maybe it would be more appropriate to direct your comments towards the "powers that be" at the Rotary Gardens to make them rethink their decision to a more realistic admission price.

I've been ignoring soside4life's comments for months. Cap locks, parenthesis, LMAO, LOL, :>, and nothing of value to say.

After reviewing your past posts, soside4life, I now understand why my comment to SLAYER bothers you, as you obviously deem it necessary to capitalize every other word you write. On that same note, I was just wondering: Do you have an addiction to the "lol" acronym? And more importantly, do you really laugh out loud as much as you write it?
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Thank you for advising me to just not read those posts. After actually deciphering your comments, I realized that I'm not missing anything by "moving onto the next one". LOL.

lakennedy~ re: Your comment to SLAYERTHEGREAT: Your constant use of the caps lock key reminds me of a driver on the interstate that drives with their blinker on constantly. Do you even realize it's on? Or, do you realize it's on and want everything you write to be communicated as though you're screaming it? Either way, it is extremely annoying.
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If you (& others) DON'T like it because it "annoys you so" <...Are you SERIOUS?! lol! :)>, then just DON'T READ IT!!! It's that simple! :) JUST MOVE ALONG to the next blog!!!...
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There's no need to make comments, such as yours.

Or for people who can volunteer.

I suppose the gardens will only be for people not in poverty

If $5 admission generates approximately 78K in annual revenues, this amounts to approximately 15600 visitors per year; or about 42 people per day assuming the garden is open every day. Every day-that is a lot of people!

How can one city council member honestly project 60,000 visitors per year for a new childrens museum? Does anyone really believe the attendance at a childs museum will be 5 times greater (on average) every single day than an establish rotary garden?

quintin66 - I believe the bike trail is part of the park system in Janesvlle, therefore, we already do pay for it. It is called property taxes. You should be glad that you actually get to ride this one for "free". I have never ridden on the other bike trails in the state, but I wonder how many of them are located in residential areas where you can walk out of your back yard and on to the trail.

again i am okay with it. just have to remember CASH or can we pay inside??? how will that work?

I would envision a bike path fee to work like it does on a state bike path you by a pass for a day or a season at many vendors, or bye it from officials on the trail (for more money). In Wisconsin it is $4.00/day or $20/ annually per bike to ride a trail. And if you buy it from an official on the trail it is $5.00 more. Sure there are probably a lot of people that ride it for free but most of us pay.

Why would the admission fee go towards the skatepark? Am I missing something?

I wonder how much of that $5 is for the new skateboard park they are going to build for the East side;where all of the major money seems to be going.

quintin66 - Because the bike path is not gated, you would have to charge everyone in the city a fee. Hence, increasing property taxes to pay for the tunnel.

oops....sorry....should have re-read the article! Disregard my previous post.

I think they should explore expanding on the free days. I think that they should offer a "punch card" if you will. For every 5 hours of volunteer work you do at the gardens, you get a free admission voucher.

Interesting. The 8/25 blog on the Rotary Garden site states that no one spoke against the decision at the council meeting. I also don't see a mention of a $5 fee, so maybe it won't be that much.
http://www.rotarygardens.blogspot.com/

Not only do I think this is a good idea, let the people who use the gardens pay for it, but I think this idea could be extended to the bike path. charge to ride the path like they do on the state paths. and use this money to build all the tunnels they can afford.

For those people who only go a few times a year, there will be free days.

For those people who go often and already donate some money, maybe a membership wouldn't cost you that much more.

For those people that go and never donate, you probably won't be missed.

If you don't want to pay, then volunteer and get in for free. If you don't want to volunteer or pay, it's simple: Don't go!!!!!!
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No one is forcing you to pay an admission. It's not being added onto your taxes. If you don't like it, don't go.

SLAYERTHEGREAT: Your constant use of the caps lock key reminds me of a driver on the interstate that drives with their blinker on constantly. Do you even realize it's on? Or, do you realize it's on and want everything you write to be communicated as though you're screaming it? Either way, it is extremely annoying.

Olbrich Gardens is run by the City of Madison Parks Division...with tax dollars.
http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/

Zoom...Council shouldnt base votes off of guilt trips. Then again it shouldnt vote on anything to do with what is ON the property owned by the city. What rotary gardens is, is irrelevant to what they are voting on. Should they be allowed to charged addmission on city leased land based on the lease given at an extreme cheap rate because it was going to be open free to the public.

I think Zoom might be the one person who supported the fee at the council meeting. Maybe thats why they passed it

FYI: olbrich gardens in madison is still free for the garden and $1 for the conservatory.

If you were a Council member, what would you do? Vote no to the admission fee, and then be held responsible for the demise of the gardens? As I stated below, the council does not run the gardens. The anger against them is misplaced.

Start emailing your delusional council members
or better yet call them and ask them where the people who thought that this was a great idea

Here you go

http://www.ci.janesville.wi.us/citysite/...

My day can be pretty hectic but sometimes I liked to grab a SubWay and go down to Rotary Gardens to eat lunch and relax. A $1 is no problem and I often left that as a donation anyway. The need for a fee is understandable and I wish them the best of luck. But I won't be visiting for $5.

I cant wait till this time next year when were all commenting on the article "Rotary Gardens future looks grimm".... I will be posting "I told you so!!". ...many times...lol. :)

exactly a $1.00 or $2.00 fee would have been a lot more acceptable,But not $5.00. Just wait till the tour bus's and out of towners learn of this fee. I bet many people will stop comming altogether.
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I know I can't afford a $5.00 fee everytime my family decides to go look at the gardens, especialy when we were on our bike rides and decided to have a picnic there. I never minded donating a couple of bucks, but not not 5.00 a person.Guess we will just have to keep on riding to Palmer park and enjoy our picnics there.

nutty, you forgot another option: lower the fee to $2.00. I bet more would be willing to pay that and they wouldn't be scaring so many people away.

I guess My family won't be going there anymore. I thought $5 at christmas was ok because of the added expense of the lights and such. But if i have to pay $25 everytime, I think I could spend my money more wisely!! Plus we have volunteered before, what a waste if I have to work and then also pay. The city hierarchy thinks we are all made of money!

still sorta new to town and was lookin forward to walkin my kiddies thru there at some point. WAS.

Many memories for my family there....
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There's no way in hell I'm paying to cross those bricks. Let it all dry up.

Option 1 - Pay the $5 and enjoy the garden.
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Option 2 - Stay home, keep your $5, don't enjoy the gargen.
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Option 3 - They remove the fee, they can't afford to keep it going and no one enjoys the garden.

With so little to look forward to as far as the economical growth of Janesville, it seems like a kick in the teeth. :(

Well remember these are elected officials, they are only doing what is in the best interest of Janesville residents. (This is all sarcasm) Seriously I will remember come voting time If anyone currently seated on the council plans on running for reelection. Don’t I am sure nobody will vote for you

I am very sad about the fee. We are a family of 6 and visit the Garden 4-8 times a year. It was free family entertainment with some nice memories. One of my best friends was married there. I taught my older sons to fish there, because of the great shore access. When I was younger I worked for a landscaping company and spent many hours working there. We will probably not go to the gardens anymore, instead we will prabably go out to eat or better yet visit some of the other parks that remain free.

Its funny how people think that there is a value sense to viewing a plant. I hope the city charges them more for leasing that land. I would no longer look at this as an attraction...but just another business. Why the hate for people who dont donate? I been there a few years ago, im not dropping a dime for someone elses hobby and creation. We go to car shows and we dont donate to each person who built their car all up to show. Same concept...they jacked the price up at a car show once...no one showed up. You want to show off your garden and your place...it really isnt all that worth charging for. Its just a bunch of plants and park benches.

..."Mark Dwyer, director of horticulture, said people just assumed the gardens were free instead of admission by donation. He said he often saw people walk by the donation tubes without donating."...OMG!! HOW DARE THOSE PEOPLE!! re: considering they were even labeled w/ the word DONATION!! <LMAO!>
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Perhaps Mr. Dwyer & his NOT FOR PROFIT group need some clarification on the word DONATION. (.. I hope it helps! :) We all can't be as smart as opinionsforfree! :)

DONATION -noun: a VOLUNTARY gift (as of money or service or ideas) made to some worthwhile cause [syn: contribution]
+ Bonus word :) +
VOLUNTARY -adjective: done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one's own accord or by free choice, not forced or compelled: a voluntary contribution.

I like the idea of the $2 per person and $5 per family charge. It doesn't seem so expensive that way. Sorry, but unfortunately this is one family that won't be going on nature walks any more at the gardens. I still didn't see an answer to the question about when this goes into effect. I think I will hurry and go one more time before it does. I certainly can't afford $20 a pop each time our family goes.

A fee may seem like a good idea. But when people get the idea "Hey, lets go to Rotary Gardens!" The first thing they will think of is the fee. Unfortunately it is going to bring down the amount of visitors. If the city decided to charge an annual fee to use the sidewalk, how would that make people feel. I dont think it is a bad idea to charge a fee...But perhaps a little more thought could have gone into other alternatives. I like that we have a place like this in this community!

I find it amazing how deep the "it is OK as long as I don't have to pay for it" mentality runs in this city. Maybe they should increase property taxes to make up the difference and then everybody complaining about the 5 dollar fee would still be able to get in for "free".

I say boycott the place and if nobody goes there for awhile maybe they will realize that $5. is a bit steep and consider lowering the price to $2. per person and $5. per family.
Yea, I think $5. a person is alot to start with, I mean G.M. is slowing down in production and laying off people so really who is going to enjoy the Garden of Riches.

ARE THEY GOING TO CHARGE FOR PARKING,.IS SWIMMING AND FISHING INCLUDED.WHAT A JOKE?

I think the 5 dollars is a reasonable fee. If you do not want to pay it, then don't go. If you feel the need to plant your own garden to enjoy, that is your choice. However, be prepared to pay more than 5 dollars for plants, materials and labor (unless you feel that those should be supplied to you for free as well).

so much for free family leisure.... that was Rath's dream... if it was meant for land "preserevation", why didn't it stay how it was years ago?? this city is REALLY going down the tube... over budget on too many things that aren't necessary (i.e. proposed children's museum, bike tunnel, a/c for only the high schools) so that an alledged non-profit organization can complain about how they aren't bringing in an undisclosed amount of money annually and that they're not hitting a quota due to lack of DONATIONS!! in today's day in age, how many of us in the community WITH FAMILIES can afford it?? it's ridiculous... "volunteers would work towards earning a memebership"... like that's really going to pan out in the long haul....
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I say turn it back into the BMX track and make it how it was originally... that way, the kids would have a great place to play... forget the proposal for a new skate park... that would help the kids more than anything else....

So I'm guessing that now everyone one of the prom parties and wedding parties that want pictures taken are going to have to pay $5 to get them. I have mixed feelings on the admission fee. I think if they aren't getting the money then they need to do something about it. I don't know how the gardens works but I know people take care of certain areas. Are those areas things they planted? If so could they charge them a fee for planting there???? Or possibly charge more for the winter wonderland walk or have more events where people would pay to see things other than just the gardens. Just a thought

What would Duane Rath think about charging this fee?? Rotary Gardens was his dream. He wanted it free for everyone to enjoy.

One of the reasons the Gardens draw so many people is precisely because they are free.
Can't the money be raised in some other way: parking charges, higher facility rental fees, advertising or sponsorship rights?
It might be as simple as signage with "XYZ Co. is a proud sponsor of the Rotary Gardens"?

Payroll & Benefits for 2006 increased to $371,703, according to the annual report.

http://www.rotarygardens.org/images/2006...
FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT: In 2006, Rotary Botanical Gardens was severely vandalized by 3 teenage boys. As tragic an event this was, it also galvanized the community into an outstanding show of support. Donations from the community and an anonymous donor provided the Gardens with $42,000 for increased lighting and a state-of-the-art digital camera security system.

According to the 2005 annual report, total expenses were $763.961. Of that, $339.020, ALMOST ONE HALF of the entire budget, was used for payroll and benefits. Not payroll for the hundreds of VOLUNTEERS who worked hard so it can remain free to everyone, but rather payroll and benefits for the "4 full-time, 7 part-time and 6 seasonal staff" of the non-profit organization titled Rotary Botanical Gardens. http://www.rotarygardens.org/images/2006...

$5 what a joke. To take a family for a 15 minute walk though the garden would cost me $20. Way to go janesville, but MAKE SURE YOU BUILD ANOTHER WORTHLESS TUNNEL THAT IS ONLY ACCESIBLE TO A SMALL % OF THE COMMUNITTY. WHAT A HORRIBLE CITY THIS IS BECOMING.

Wow, $5! Do people really go here many times a season where $5 would really be a problem? Is $5 really that big of a deal? You're going to spend a heck of a lot more in time and money growing your own half assed garden. Stop complaining!

Kiki wrote: Thought; One could volunteer to help at the Rotary Gardens thereby avoided the cost of admission. Win - win all the way around.

The FACT is that many people have already volunteered for YEARS believing it was to keep it free to the public for all to enjoy. Now that it's beautiful enough for Rotary to raise the money to increase salaries.....

I think they should print the names and addresses of the fellas who committed all the damage a few years. How high was the damage estimate? I would like to send them a thank-you (NOT!) letter.

but when kids go in and destroy stuff who pays for that. how many of these complainers do you think would volunteer to help keep things looking nice in the gardens

By my calculations, they are still roughly $52,000 short of their operating budget. I wonder what the plan is to balance the budget.

Will guests attending weddings held at the Gardens have to pay?
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(Just kidding... well, mostly kidding)

I wont be going there anymore. Like someone else said. I will grow my own.

I agree with Zoom. I wasn't aware there was a probelm until recently when they talked about charging a fee. Maybe I missed it. It would have been nice to stress the donations or come up with a system where more people made donations. I have thrown in a few dollars from time to time. I guess I would have done more if I knew there was a problem. Now spending $15-20 for a visit with my family will limit my use of the park. I guess I screwed up.

Hindsight isn't going to help this one...I wonder how much volunteer time will be required to gain year round free admission?

In hindsight, I think they could have done more to solicite donations at the gardens. After the visitor/education center was built, that should have become the only entrance, which requires walking past that donation box.

THings cost money, and obviously the gardens couldn't count on good faith of visitors. Some people must think these FREE things just get taken care of on their own. We are in the day and age of "EVERYTHING COSTS SOMETHING".

"Vote people vote and remove these idiots from office."

The City of Janesville does not run Rotary Gardens, nor collect taxes for it. The Council has no say in how it's run, other than approving or disapproving the admission fee, in exchange for the low lease price of the land. Your anger is misplaced.

The trouble with voluntary donations is that many won't do it. I just hope they haven't set the price too high and that the money they collect is more than the money they'll have to spend on fences, gates and admission booths.

Once again another city FLUB I love the Gardens take my family all the time and leave what I think is generous. Now I wont go at all. I cannt I have 6 kids and 40 bucks to walk NO THANK YOU. Now I can see it the gardens will look like hell nobody will go and the city counsil will blame someone else. Great job Janesville we shall become another nice city ruined. This is how it starts. I am sure we can build another tunnel though. What a disgrace to allow this to happen. I was even married in the gardens. What a joke. Vote people vote and remove these idiots from office.

It's sad that visiting is no longer free, but then, it was always costing somebody money. This is a move to make the Gardens self-sustaining. It isn't any more expensive than a Starbucks.

I wonder how many times the complainers have actually been to to the gardens since they opened or even this year. There are some pretty negative people who post on here, they hate everything, see the bad in everything. They don't go there, but they certainly don't like the idea of paying for it if they did. Or they do go there and have never given anything in support. Give the fee a chance, see if things turn around. Its better than taxing us to fund it! The gardens can always end the fee down the road. But how often do you ever seen a tax end? Now, the potential kid's museum, we will tax fund that AND have to pay to get in...

put a subway style turn gate in that you have to put money in to get in, that will eliminate a person on hand all day montitoring it. $1 or $.50 is justifiable and shouldnt bother anyone. A family of 5 for $5. is not too harsh. And its not like people are using anything up going there and stuff so $5. for 1 person a rip off. I dont see any reason to enforce it either. There has to be an alternative to price goudging people.

My grand daughter is in 4-h and photography. She would go to rotary gardens to take pics for her projects.Now she has to pay? i dont think it is worth it.

I love to go to Rotary Gardens with a good book to read. I did donate $1 each time I visited, as a thank you for the peaceful setting. At a required $5 a visit, I will read in my backyard.

A stroll through Rotary Gardens is not worth $5.00 per visit to me . I'll grow my own!

I like how they go from charging NO admission to charging $5, as if there were no other options.
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I think $3 for city residents would have been more reasonable.
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Either way, people that felt so inclined could always donate more.

Thought; One could volunteer to help at the Rotary Gardens thereby avoided the cost of admission. Win - win all the way around.

Zoom: I thought the same thing when I read this article. Something like, "We'd better get on the bandwagon while we can." Unfortunately, my present budget won't allow me to spend $5 to enjoy the Gardens. This is sad because it is a nice place to go when this world starts to get to me.

I agree ame. Even 2 dollars would have been better than 5. I like to go there alot as well. Not only there but also Kiwanas pond. Is that gonna be next?

Interesting comments from the chairman of the board. After all the talk of a childrens museum (funded partially by taxes), the Rotary Garden folks are probably feeling left out in the cold. I'm wondering if the board's purpose is to get some city funding, without formally asking for it. That would be an intersesting discussion.

I know people wont agrre with me but I have a right to my opinion;
guess us poor folk wont be able to go there anymore and enjoy it. just like everything else there is to do around here. even if you pay to get into somewhere like rockport pool seasonal pass the place is never open when you want to go