Reader: Park ranger "a good gig, even by government standards"

I'm intrigued by the "Going, Going, Gone" title. I mean, I understand the link between longer-distance travel and the need for bathrooms at each end of a three-block-long bus concourse, but as a candidate for the RTD board, I have more than a "passing interest" in your use of auctioneers' terminology. Since the rails of the track loop in ReDo — the Real Downtown — have already been the scene of at least three derailments, was the auction-block language just hinting at the strong possibility that major pieces of one of the West's largest public-works projects will have to be sold "down the river" as its tracks and wires come due for the reconstruction whose funding won't necessarily be as liberally funded from Washington as their installation was?

Or was it about the risk that RTD will sell out the great view of the nineteenth-century buildings known as the Hitchings Block, across Market Street from the now-abandoned station there? Although it's only a scaled-down and simplified version of the Grande Place in Brussels, and not actually that gem of medieval architecture, the Hitchings Block is worth a lot to Denver.
Eduardo Slattery
Denver

Although "Party in the Parks" highlighted activities within a few specific parks, my intent was to inform readers about the inefficacy of Denver's park-ranger program in general. The right of drug dealers, indigents and 3.2-swilling weekend warriors to occupy the parks was never questioned. But the city has allocated more than half a million tax dollars this year to fund a staff of green-shirted rangers who apparently spend their workdays cruising the parks with blinders on — a good gig even by government standards. Budget shortfalls have seen our recreation centers shuttered, library hours curtailed, shelters filled to beyond capacity and a tragically understaffed police department. It surprises me that the city has the resources to chase down fat white scofflaws like me playing catch in the park. I can think of better uses for the money.
Jim Schneck
Denver

The yuppies are getting close to taking away everything that made Denver...well, Denver. I think some increased enforcement was all that was needed in Washington Park. Honestly, though, I want the liberal, selfish, hipster yuppies out of Denver and out of Colorado. Go take away another state's youth and constitutional rights.
Riley Nolan
Posted on Facebook

So many problems in this city, and these rich fucks get done what they want to get done. Maybe we should start moving Denver's homeless population to Wash Park so they can get something done about that, too.
Dean Korb
Posted on Facebook