About the Venue

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Venue(s)

The following sites have been secured to house the four sessions for November 17-18:

1. Session #1: Monroe County Public Library (Kirkwood) / 1B-1C
2. Session #2: Monroe County Public Library (Kirkwood) / 1B-1C
3. Session #3: School of Informatics (10th & Woodlawn) / 6-11p Friday November 17
4. Session #4: Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (Daniels) / Student Commons & Alumni Hall
5. Session #5: Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (Daniels) / Student Commons & Alumni Hall

WE ARE OFFICIAL!

Brainstorming History

The problem with organizing one of these events is the uncertainty about how many people will show. It becomes a chicken-and-egg situation — We can't get the location until we know how many people are coming, but we can't know how many people are coming until we can formalize the event with a location.

Here are some venue possibilities that would be FREE:

1. Ivy Tech
2. Bryan Park (Woodlawn - Henderson)

   10-2: This, or another outdoor location, has the advantage of being scalable to whatever side is needed and (as long as we don't require a shelter) is cost free. Thank you, taxpayers. The big variable is weather, as it is a crapshoot whether the tempature will cooperate. - Kevin Makice

   10-9: Also, the pavillions are something that requires $$$, although we could take a chance that they wouldn't be used in November by anyone else willing to pay. - Kevin Makice

3. Near Downtown (mixed sizes):
1. Monroe County Historical Society (332-2517)
2. Rhinos (333-3430)
3. Harmony School (334-8349)
4. Shalom Center (334-5728)
4. Campus locations:
1. Hilltop Garden and Nature Center (855-2799)
2. Mathers Museum (855-6873)
5. Near Westside:
1. Monroe County Head Start (334-8350)
2. Monroe County United Ministries (339-3429)
3. Banneker Center (349-3735)
6. School of Informatics (10th & Woodlawn)

   10-4:This building is going to be the site of Session #3 on Friday evening. It may be able to serve as a backup for Saturday morning's session, too, but I'm pretty certain it will not be appropriate (both due to parking and classes) earlier on Friday. - Kevin Makice

7. Monroe County Public Library (Kirkwood)

   10-9: The meeting rooms are currently available and would be big enough to house even the most optimistic of turnouts. Capacity is 144 for rooms 1B-1C combined, and over 80 for 1B alone. 1B is also available for Saturday morning's Session IV, if needed. This looks like the very best bet for the Friday venue for Sessions I and II. Information about how to reserve a room is available online. It just takes a library card, and approval. I need to get both. ... As a bonus, there is enough time to request that it be televised by CATS (Community Access Television Services). - Kevin Makice

   10-9: UPDATE: The MCPL confirmed the room reservations for the first two Friday sessions. - Kevin Makice

Here are some other local possibilities ... but ones that will likely $$$:

1. Buskirk-Chumley - http://www.buskirkchumley.org/geninfo-rental.htm (Danielle McClelland)

   10-4: Danielle was very responsive, but there is a cost to rental of the theatre ... $100/hr. That puts this space at a $600-800 price tag for Friday's first two sessions, or possibly just $300 for a single session. We can also talk to the Theatre Cafe about using the lobby space for free, although the capacity would probably only be about 25 people (which may work out well) - Kevin Makice

2. Bloomington High School South (Mark Fletcher)

   10-4: I'm not sure what the protocol is for reserving public school facilities for public events, but I have an email into the principle asking about using the School for the 11-18 Saturday morning session. - Kevin Makice

   10-9: No contact made yet, but after talking with Vickie at the City, there would likely be a cost attached, which I'm sure is attributed to staffing and insurance-liability paranoia. - Kevin Makice

3. City Hall (Morton)

   10-2: There is probably a rental fee, some restrictions and a need for advance planning, but the facility does have several conference rooms that might be opened and lots of nooks and crannies where small groups could sit down and chat. - Kevin Makice

   10-9: Vickie indicated that the City would charge for facilities rental (which would also include pavilions for outdoor venues like Bryan Park above), and that the nature of this event would preclude formal participation by the City. - Kevin Makice