Poly_Technique
November 2nd, 2005, 02:04 AM
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Rooftop thrill ride in Roppongi under fire
10/25/2005
An amusement ride is being set up on the roof of Don Quijote's Roppongi outlet in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
Discount store Don Quijote has frayed the nerves of people who live and work in Tokyo's Roppongi district with a plan to build an amusement ride on the roof of its outlet.
It created consternation because the Minato Ward store is open through the night until 7 a.m.
An association comprising about 240 businesses in Roppongi petitioned the Minato Ward assembly in late September to protest the noise, commotion and possible accidents they fear the thrill ride will bring.
A 59-year-old beauty-salon operator near the Don Quijote outlet said, "Our clients come to us for relaxation, but what will happen if they hear screams from people on the ride?"
The petition was unanimously acknowledged Oct. 18 by the ward assembly, but construction of the "halfpipe" amusement ride goes on.
The ride is scheduled to start up in mid-December atop the eight-story Don Quijote outlet in Roppongi 3-chome. It is built to swoosh 12 riders back and forth in a 52-meter U-shape.
The ride has cleared the necessary stipulations under the building standards law, and parts of the structure are already in place.
An official with the Minato Ward office in charge of construction said Don Quijote is under no obligation under any ordinance to explain to neighborhood residents and shops about its plan to add a structure to its existing building.
"Still, we have asked Don Quijote to take the petition from the local businesses seriously and to talk to them," the ward official said.
A Don Quijote representative said a research organization has estimated the ride would produce no adverse effects in terms of noise. Also, the official said Don Quijote will ensure proper safety measures are taken.
The company will not hold an open meeting with local residents and shopkeepers, however. Instead, it plans to visit those in the neighborhood individually to explain about the planned safety measures and how the ride will operate to win their understanding.
Whether that will do the trick remains to be seen.
"They (Don Quijote) decided to build the ride without holding a meeting to explain about it to people nearby, and they are not thinking about people who actually live nearby and medical clinics operating in the area," said Yuzuru Goto, who heads the shopkeepers' association. "We're worried about the effects on children, too, and I want Don Quijote to work in cooperation with the local community and not just seek profits."
This will not be the first ride set up on top of a Don Quijote store. The chain of discount retailers of electric appliances, home goods and miscellaneous items also operated a huge Ferris wheel that opened in March at the Dotonbori outlet in central Osaka.(IHT/Asahi: October 25,2005)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200510250116.html
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/7494/donki11jg.jpg
http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/3977/tky2005102400311mu.jpghttp://img368.imageshack.us/img368/8281/tky2005102401201eg.jpg
Rooftop thrill ride in Roppongi under fire
10/25/2005
An amusement ride is being set up on the roof of Don Quijote's Roppongi outlet in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
Discount store Don Quijote has frayed the nerves of people who live and work in Tokyo's Roppongi district with a plan to build an amusement ride on the roof of its outlet.
It created consternation because the Minato Ward store is open through the night until 7 a.m.
An association comprising about 240 businesses in Roppongi petitioned the Minato Ward assembly in late September to protest the noise, commotion and possible accidents they fear the thrill ride will bring.
A 59-year-old beauty-salon operator near the Don Quijote outlet said, "Our clients come to us for relaxation, but what will happen if they hear screams from people on the ride?"
The petition was unanimously acknowledged Oct. 18 by the ward assembly, but construction of the "halfpipe" amusement ride goes on.
The ride is scheduled to start up in mid-December atop the eight-story Don Quijote outlet in Roppongi 3-chome. It is built to swoosh 12 riders back and forth in a 52-meter U-shape.
The ride has cleared the necessary stipulations under the building standards law, and parts of the structure are already in place.
An official with the Minato Ward office in charge of construction said Don Quijote is under no obligation under any ordinance to explain to neighborhood residents and shops about its plan to add a structure to its existing building.
"Still, we have asked Don Quijote to take the petition from the local businesses seriously and to talk to them," the ward official said.
A Don Quijote representative said a research organization has estimated the ride would produce no adverse effects in terms of noise. Also, the official said Don Quijote will ensure proper safety measures are taken.
The company will not hold an open meeting with local residents and shopkeepers, however. Instead, it plans to visit those in the neighborhood individually to explain about the planned safety measures and how the ride will operate to win their understanding.
Whether that will do the trick remains to be seen.
"They (Don Quijote) decided to build the ride without holding a meeting to explain about it to people nearby, and they are not thinking about people who actually live nearby and medical clinics operating in the area," said Yuzuru Goto, who heads the shopkeepers' association. "We're worried about the effects on children, too, and I want Don Quijote to work in cooperation with the local community and not just seek profits."
This will not be the first ride set up on top of a Don Quijote store. The chain of discount retailers of electric appliances, home goods and miscellaneous items also operated a huge Ferris wheel that opened in March at the Dotonbori outlet in central Osaka.(IHT/Asahi: October 25,2005)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200510250116.html