DBC Megathread

[Steve_Christian]

Loving all the horse tram experts on here. 😂 ‘yes Karen, I know all about horse trams. I’ve driven past them a few times. I am also qualified in horse cardiology having googled it so…. Expert really. (Level 12) 

[2112]

I don’t know whether the Douglas Carnival is going ahead but the report into it, concludes there is no economic benefit to the event. The report is blaming the layout of the promenade. If there is no economic benefit, then surely there are no economic benefits to other events which DBC promote, such as in Nobles Park? 

[Happier diner]

27 minutes ago, 2112 said:

I don’t know whether the Douglas Carnival is going ahead but the report into it, concludes there is no economic benefit to the event. The report is blaming the layout of the promenade. If there is no economic benefit, then surely there are no economic benefits to other events which DBC promote, such as in Nobles Park? 

I didn't know Carnivals were ever organised just because of Economic Benefit. Are the Fireworks of economic benefit - No

Cost vs Benefit is the normal assessment

[John Wright]

Carnivals in the UK, are for enjoyment of participants, and spectators. Why does there have to be a profit?

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, Happier diner said:

Of course we don't know unless there was a postmortem. However like humans horses don't just drop dead with heart attacks unless they have an existing  heart defect of heart disease. 

And there was a postmortem as the DBC press release linked on the previous page said:

A post mortem carried out on the tram horse Albert, who died suddenly on May 13th while leading a tram, has shown the cause of death to be cardiac failure.

In his report to Douglas Borough Council veterinarian to the tram horses Raymond Cox, MVB, MRCVS, said the body ‘did not have signs of recent trauma’ and that ‘Gross examination of the internal abdominal organs did not reveal any significant pathology.’

He concluded: ‘…it is my opinion that Albert died from cardiac failure.’

A BBC report gives more detail:

Tram supervisor, Michael Crellin said during his 41-year career it was the first time a horse had died on duty.

He said all the tram horses were checked regularly by a vet, who knew the animals well.

Of course humans sometimes drop dead from undiagnosed heart conditions as well.  One death in (at least) 49 years doesn't seem excessive.

[Banker]

49 minutes ago, 2112 said:

I don’t know whether the Douglas Carnival is going ahead but the report into it, concludes there is no economic benefit to the event. The report is blaming the layout of the promenade. If there is no economic benefit, then surely there are no economic benefits to other events which DBC promote, such as in Nobles Park? 

They run Douglas golf club at a massive loss as well mainly due to charging less than private competition so golfers from outside Douglas are subsidize by ratepayers 

[Happier diner]

59 minutes ago, Banker said:

They run Douglas golf club at a massive loss as well mainly due to charging less than private competition so golfers from outside Douglas are subsidize by ratepayers 

Very few municipal gold courses run at a profit and many are subsidised in the same way Douglas is. Same goes for Sports centres, swimming pools, athletic tracks etc.

[ellanvannin2010]

3 hours ago, Amadeus said:

They should have put them at the side of the road, out of the way of cars, noise and pollution which aren't good for horses or passengers. The fact they didn't grasp this obvious best way to do things is staggering. 

Wasn't that one of the former plans and failed partly to do with the campaign from the late Mr Lambden and the surprising incompetence and arrogance of the DOI?

[Happier diner]

51 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

Sports centres are generally available to all. Golf Clubs have members who generally get first dibs on course usage over the people who are actually paying to upkeep them.

That's categorically not true. Where did you get this incorrect information. Anyone can book a round at Douglas Golf club.

https://www.douglasgolfclub.im/visitors/

[Amadeus]

On 3/18/2022 at 11:37 PM, Omobono said:

Its never been  a pay toilet ! and while your at it do a proper cost benefit analysis  of the amount you pay to the contractors SCS   for looking after the pay to use toilets on the promenade  ,if you employed one person  in house  to keep all the corporation toilets clean and replace paper etc ,and didn't make a charge ,  I bet it would be a much cheaper option ,  you should have plenty of staff to choose from  when the refuse collection is reduced to fortnightly and the operatives are standing around for a week waiting for the next collection , I don't see anywhere in the corporation accounts, the  cost of operating public toilets  ,  and income  received  from public toilets 

It appears you may be right and they were free before. Due to problems with vandalism, a pay mechanism was fitted. Card and cash. Won’t make money for the council but will prevent damage that costs money to fix. Employing someone and making it free again hardly makes sense unless it’s a 24/7 bog guard. 

Didn’t think I’d inspect public toilets on my lunch break but then that’s the type of excitement you get as councillor. 

 

[Stu Peters]

1 hour ago, ellanvannin2010 said:

Wasn't that one of the former plans and failed partly to do with the campaign from the late Mr Lambden and the surprising incompetence and arrogance of the DOI?

I think he demanded I be fired from my radio job for having the temerity to agree with a caller who suggested putting a single track along the Promenade walkway. Another actually said 'will nobody think of the children' on the basis it would be Tramageddon with horses trampling over toddlers if that madness was allowed.

I drove down the Prom last week. It's very disappointing isn't it? Should be smooth as a billiard table, but it's all a bit bobbins.

[Happier diner]

51 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

There is a separate members booking portal where they can book all the best slots.

That's normal. Same applies to clubs at the Sport Centre, swimming pool and athletic track.

[John Wright]

1 hour ago, offshoremanxman said:

There is a separate members booking portal where they can book all the best slots.

 

1 hour ago, Happier diner said:

That's normal. Same applies to clubs at the Sport Centre, swimming pool and athletic track.

It’s normally your account sign in is linked to your membership status in the data base. 

That’ll get you access to priority booking, early booking offers, disability access booking, auto recognition of retired/disabled rail card reductions, etc etc.

[Omobono]

1 hour ago, Amadeus said:

It appears you may be right and they were free before. Due to problems with vandalism, a pay mechanism was fitted. Card and cash. Won’t make money for the council but will prevent damage that costs money to fix. Employing someone and making it free again hardly makes sense unless it’s a 24/7 bog guard. 

Didn’t think I’d inspect public toilets on my lunch break but then that’s the type of excitement you get as councillor. 

 

All that will happen now is the Scroats  will go into the toilets by way of the outer entrance  and pee or crap outside the door , the  area where the toilet doors  are situated  can not be seen from outside ,  if you have vandalism problems  then CCTV in the  entrance lobby would be enough  to make the area secure  area   and a big warning sign !  Big brother is watching !, so sadly every public toilet in town ,  in  the councils ownership is now  20 pence  , this is a disgrace !

[piebaps]

1 minute ago, Omobono said:

 every public toilet in town ,  in  the councils ownership is now  20 pence  , this is a disgrace !

Nope - just inflation. It used to be a penny.