Mary sends in this pic of some city employees trying out some of the new adult exercise equipment installed at Glenlake Park this morning.

Looks like the Decatur Active Living Facebook page also has a few pics of the install!

Sycamore Street, Decatur GA (pic submitted by Al)

Yesterday Harper published Who I Am: A Memoir, the autobiography of one of my own personal rock heroes, Pete Townshend. (Here’s the mostly positive New York Times review.) Last month brought us Marc Spitz’ Jagger: Rebel, Rock Star, Rambler, Rogue, which followed last year’s Life by Keith Richards. Neil Young’s Waging Heavy Peace also came out last month, as did David Byrne’s somewhat rock biography, How Music Works. A multitude of rock biographies of and autobiographies by rockers as well as those who hung around them (Pattie Boyd, Pamela Des Barres) have come out over the past couple of decades.

I read a bunch of these once upon a time. My very favorites were Barry Miles’ Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now, The Beatles Anthology, Peter Guralnick’s two biographies of Elvis, and Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band by Scott Freeman (who also wrote a bio of Georgian legend Otis Redding and co-wrote a book with Atlanta Braves’ former pitching coach Leo Mazzone – a different kind of legend).

Most were very, very bad. Frustratingly disappointing was David Ritz’ Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye, which never came close to capturing Gaye’s genius (or soul).

The bottom line is that most rock stars are not particularly interesting people. Get together with friends, make a record, fame, drugs, more records, more drugs, write book. (Paul McCartney is an exception, as I’m guessing is Pete Townshend.)

Read any good rock books?

This Week

Tad Hills, author of Rocket Writes a Story, Wednesday, October 10th, 4pm, Little Shop of Stories, free.

Carlos Andrés Gómez, author of Man Up: Cracking the Code of Modern Manhood, Wednesday, October 10th, 7:15pm, Decatur Library, sponsored by Georgia Center for the Book, free.

Fashion event with Marjorie Galen, author of The Fashion Designer’s Handbook: Learn to Sew and Become a Designer in 33 Fabulous Projects, Friday, October 12th, 7pm, Little Shop of Stories, free.

James Patterson, author of everything, Sunday, October 14th, 3pm, Marcus JCCA, check here for ticketing information.

Pam Durbin, author of The Tree of Forgetfulness, Monday, October 15th, 7:15pm, Decatur Library, sponsored by Georgia Center for the Book, free.

R.L. Stine, author of Red Rain: A Novel, Monday, October 15th, 7:30pm, Marcus JCCA, check here for ticketing information.

H.W. Brands, author of The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace, Tuesday, October 16th, 7:15pm, Decatur Library, sponsored by Georgia Center for the Book, free.

At last night’s meeting, the Decatur Planning Commission decided to table the proposed zoning change of a piece of property along West College Ave (from residential to commercial) that would allow for the construction of a local grocery, operated by the owners of the Candler Park Market.

The ruling was tabled because the Commission was concerned that the plan included some parking within 30′ of the street, which is not allowed according to a provision in the zoning code.  The city’s regular staff member who supports the Planning Commission, Planning Director Amanda Thompson, was out of town and Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne couldn’t speak to the city’s position on this issue, thus the tabling.

Prior to the decision to table the proposal, property owner Pete Whitlock presented the project and was assisted by his architect, who presented the land plan and the architectural renderings, and the owner/operator of the Candler Park Market.

No residents spoke in support of the project, but the two adjacent neighbors and a resident of Olympic Place spoke in opposition.  They cited many concerns including flooding, impact on trees, the rear setback of the proposed market, the degree of alcohol sales and their appropriateness for the neighborhood, and the proposed scale of the development.  (Mr. Whitlock followed up on this last point and mentioned that the proposed development constituted less square footage overall than what historically existed on the property.)

For those interested in supporting or opposing this project in the future, the Planning Commission is scheduled to take up this zoning change again next month at the November 13th meeting.