I would like to see the admission charge of two dollars for adults and one dollar for childen over 12 to the age of 18. With a five dollar charge there are many people that cannot afford that much. Senior over 65 should be able to get in as ofter as the like for a fee of 5 dollars a month. How is this fee going to be collected? I hope that the people there will find a way without hiring a person.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall reading that there will be some free days during the year and they may consider some type of family pass. Hopefully this will allow those who can't afford admission a chance to see the gardens.

llund22: I would suggest expressing your concern with either the council or Rotary Gardens. They are still in the beginning stages of this fee issue and your input may help ensure that free days are available during the year or family passes are made affordable. I'm out of work, so I understand where you are coming from on this issue. However, I still think that at this stage a fee may be the only way to ensure the gardens remain such a great place to visit.

My family cannot afford to go to the movies. We can afford to show our children the beauty and wonder of Rotary Gardens. Everytime we go we leave a few dollars. We will not be able to go anymore if it will cost us $20. I understand them needing to charge a fee, but unfortunately for our family $5/person is too steep. It is too bad because our kids love to visit.

If you can't afford it go on the days when it's free.The people whining about the price of admission are probably the same ones who have no problem going to star bucks and paying $5 for a latte.

I can feel confident in saying that nobody’s backyard is as mystical and well kept as the Rotary Gardens. In addition, those unwilling to pay to enter probably didn’t appreciate the gardens all that much in the first place. The Rotary Gardens is one of the few treasures in Janesville and is maintained from donations rather than tax money. I was originally opposed to this idea, but considering the amount of defacing that has taken place over the years by vandalism I think a fee is justified and necessary in order to maintain the quality the gardens offers. This isn’t something everyone will have to pay unless they visit. As a result, if you don’t want to pay a fee then don’t go to the gardens. If people are willing to pay $7.00 each plus popcorn and pop to see a lousy movie they could rent in a month for two dollars, than five dollars to visit the gardens is more than reasonable.

okay what i think that is if the people who run rotary gardens and they do charge admission, noone besides people who have the money will go. i for one will not go to pay any amount of money to look at some flowers and fish. when i could find all of that in my backyard
who even thought of making people pay to see nature
how ridiculous

With times so uncertain for Janesville as it is, the last thing people will be doing is taking a trek to look at nature for $5. I doubt they will be in business if they do charge.

BN1967, you are against the fee and say you won't go anymore, yet you haven't been there in years. Problem solved!

I am not associated with the gardens, but simply by reading the paper and paying attention to the community, I know they do a LOT of marketing, fundraisers of all levels, and do charge admissions for some special events. Yet its not enough, thus the attempt at a fee after all these years of hoping voluntary donations would work. Heck, if every prom couple and wedding party that felt entitled to the beautiful scenery would pop for a measly $10 or $20, we probably wouldn't have this problem.

All of that was in the article - did none of you read that!?

Great comments JasonTh. I agree. Why not do some fundraising during the busiest times? Sell something outside. Charge for the holiday/fall tours.

Why $5.00? Even $1.00 is more than they are getting now.

I have a question that maybe someone here can answer. Isn't the Rotary Gardens pond part of the public water ways? I.e. fishing for trout and such, if so how are they going to be allowed to charge a admittance fee. I thought access to public water ways had to be free???
*
This is what my brother had asked me when I told him about the idea that Rotary gardens wanted a fee. He thought that all public water ways in WIsconsin had to have free access to them, especially if they are stocked by the State with trout and other fish.

Yes to a fee, no to $5 per person. Would a membership get me free admission for the season?

I was at the Rotary Garden tonight for the 1st time not counting X-mas time. I donated a couple of dollars with no problem. $5 a little to steep for me though. Take the $400,000 for the bike tunnel that is not needed and give it to Rotary Garden and the Tullman House. Everyone's Happy

The suggested prices are too much! Perhaps $1 per adult or $5 per family could be considered....but where are the marketing people? They could do a better job of promoting memberships. They could have better signage asking for donations with "suggested" amounts displayed, and volunteers at the entrance to "collect" donations during the busiest times all summer and fall. They could charge for the fall festival and better use all the area talent to perform at no cost with a gift membership given instead. How about a little creativity instead of such a steep price?

This is a tough decision, but I voted against it. I would like to see them utilize more media to illicit donations from visitors.

*Website? Down.
*Online donations? Not available
*Postal mailings? Too expensive
*Onsite donations? Few and not very obvious.
*Partnerships with other groups?

Another item of discussion. There are a lot of memorial items in the garden. I think it may be in bad taste to charge people to visit the gardens they use for remembering their family and friends that have passed on.

I have visited the gardens with my family. Some times we donate, other times we haven't.

I can see how they need to charge for admission and everything but I'm sure they won't have as many visitors if they do. I usually hate when people/businesses start charging you initially or hiking up prices but this seems justified.

found the article; $5 per person. Nope, I wouldn't be going there anymore. $1 up to 5 people in a group I would pay. $5 per group of 5 or more I would pay. The gardens are beautiful and charging to keep them that way is understandable. Who monitors it? They don't have someone standing at the entrance? Is it on the honor system? I haven't been there for years.

If an admission charge is to maintain, I am totally against it. If they have plans to expand and improve, I would support it. It's far too small and unimpressive as is to justify any kind of admission. Market it better as a reception/wedding garden if maintenance costs are the issue.

I think we can assume the price of wedding garden rental also covers the cost of the wedding guests coming.

I think everyone is blowing that part of this issue out of proportion.

I must have missed the article on charging a fee. Is it $5 per person or per group? I guess I could handle $5 if it's per group (back in '93 after my friends wedding we had pics taken there; if it's $5 per person I think the whole wedding party would have paid $60!). My boyfriend's cousin and her 3 small children are coming up from down south and the first thing I thought of was to go there to have pics taken BUT NOT IF it's $5 per person.

Some good reading on Mark Dwyer's Blog regarding this topic. Check it out.
http://rotarygardens.blogspot.com/2008/0...
Those who use or visit should be charged. We are charged to see High school Football. We are charged to see College Football. There are many things that We are charged to see. That is when We make up our minds, which thing We will attend. Cuts have been made in the past, now it's time for us to step up and become a Member or pay the fee to enter.

Don't want to pay a fee? Don't go. Simple as that. It's not mandatory that you pay. It's your choice.

Is that why the city is pushing for the bike path tunnel? So, down the road the can charge a toll for people to go through? Hmmm

actually, you have to pay to use some of the state bike trails, too. http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/fees/#t...

I'll bet they didn't donate $20 a family. It's going to be like the Christmas display, I would love to see it, but there's no way I can justify the expense.

rocket21- silly comment- we already pay for those in our taxes. If you chose you could add funds to your taxes for rotary or pay as you go Or not go.

Seems it is split here- those that probably donated when they went wont have a problem with paying and those who NEVER donated will.

What's next, tolls for the bike/walking trails?

Janesville should tax cigarettes and then use that for the gardens:)

I agree that $5 is too much especially if you have a family. Two adults and then children, that can get costly for families, particularly during these trying times. Keep it simple and charge $1 or $2 for adults or people won't go.

Charge everybody $1.00 and let volunteers get in free. The Gardens are trying to make up for a "shortfall" in donations so keep trying for them while charging a minimal fee. At $5.00, the number of visitors will drop off a lot among locals.

$5 admission from NO admission is way, way too steep. People would probably think nothing of paying $1 or less per person with no more than, say $5 per family, particularly if memberships are offered for people who like to regularly visit. Better to start with a lower admission rate and gradually increase it, rather than risk turning off everyone with a $5 per person rate.

Free admission only if you fertilize the flowers.

it should still be voluntary. I beleive in what they do, It's so beautiful at Christmas time. I don't mind paying the $5 then. but I think we'll lose alot of people from out of town that come to see it if they think they have to pay for it. Isn't there some way to cut back? What's next, we have to use our tax dollars to support it, like everything else in this town. I can only afford so much and then I would have to move out of Janesville.