Talk:Ann Arbor

I reverted 3 edits by (WT-en) Tlogmer, because they changed the commerial orientation of the article and did not follow a template. After adding a template I identified the following original text that needs adding back as an Understand section or into other sections. - (WT-en) Huttite 19:18, 9 Oct 2004 (EDT)

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Tree town is, as one might expect, full of trees; they line the streets, and from the air, in summer, all that can be seen is a green swath with a few buildings sticking out. (In the early 20th century, after having levelled the forest that once occupied the area, the city instituted an agressive tree-planting program that's since borne fruit.)

Ann Arbor is centered around the University of Michigan (the largest public college in the United States); the U-M campus intermingles with downtown, and the whole area is walkable, though day busses run between the campuses and the central business district.

Farther out, the city fades into subdivisions (a mall and business parks in the south), then countryside dotted with towns, and, to the east, Detroit suburbs. Busses here are sparse or nonexistant; you'll want a car unless you have several hours to spare. On some autumn saturdays, transport is difficult as 100,000-odd people pour in for university football games.

Thanks to the college students (average parental income $170,000/yr) and yuppies, downtown is a solid block of restaurants and art galleries. The university hosts cultural events, and theaters like the Michigan host first-run independent films and high-profile music groups. The original Borders bookstore is also here, as are serveral good independent bookshops, and the Ann Arbor Art Fair draws a million visitors each summer.

Winters, on the other hand, are brutal. Bring fur -- fake fur. This is a college town.

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Ads

Moved from Huttite's talk page:

I've lived in Ann Arbor my entire life (delivered pizza for a few years, so I know the area better even than most residents), and the content of those ads bordered on the absurd. They are not helpful for the traveller, and they ruin the credibility of wikivoyage for ann arborites who look up their hometown out of curiosity. If I'm not allowed to label them as the obvious marketing they are (and why not? one of the listed Non-Goals is advertising), can I at least trim back their language into something approaching reality? (WT-en) Tlogmer

(Clarification: What galls is how nonrepresentative the ads are, more than how factually inaccurate -- the page isn't just a collection of disparate facts; someone browsing the site will form a picture of the city from what things are listed and how much space they get. Wiard's Orchard does not deserve a long paragraph. It's not even in the city, and it's just a bloody orchard (one of several in the region, if it matters). There are hundreds of better things to put there, and while I don't have time to put them all there myself, I thought I could at least make clear that much of the page has nothing to do with most of what a visitor will experience (or want to).

If you (or anyone else) thinks the promotional words for any place (especially a business) mentioned in WikiTravel is over the top or hyperbole, Please, Please, Please change it to a more neutral point of view. Some traveller may have been enthusiastic or excited about a place and waxed lyrical about it - that may be justified. But if you know the place (because you live there) then please also give your perspective and edit (mercilessly if need be) anything that is inaccurate. Local knowledge and perspective is vital. We want dependable information that will improve the travel experience. Advertisers should confine their hype to their own websites, where we cannot edit it.

Judging the worth of having an entry is more subjective. If you think a place or listing is inappropriate in the article then move it to the article talk page where all contributors can discuss where it should go or even the value of keeping it.

Listing an Orchard is probably justified for travellers wanting to buy fresh fruit from the grower's property. I know of some people who undertake journeys especially for this purpose. Though listing agricultural attractions in city articles may be inappropriate. Please consider having a regional article for the county or the surrounding countryside. Then these sort of places can be mentioned appropriately. - (WT-en) Huttite 23:03, 15 Oct 2004 (EDT)

$170000? Really?

Is there a source for the claim "average parental income $170,000/yr"? I did a bit of googling and came up with "The average family income of students at my university and others has soared to more than $100,000.” [1] $170,000 seems an exaggeration, but maybe I'm just confused. (WT-en) Jonboy 13:58, 17 Jan 2006 (EST)

Fleetwood Diner

I started to explain in my edit comment, then accidentally hit return. It sounds like the rumor is of sufficient dubiousness that the traveler would not need to see a debate about its veracity. (WT-en) Jonboy 17:03, 15 March 2006 (EST)

Star Status? top article pic

Eat, Budget: 51 listings, mid-range 23, splurge 10. Drink, Pubs: 15, 13. Please see Project:Bar listings

The photo does contain snow covered trees and the street, but the attention seems to focus on the house. Then the first statement in Understand is "AA is centered around UM." Why would the opening pic be of a residential house, rather than UM? Secondarily, if the desire is to show a wintry street, why not show one which shows more of the avenue and trees rather than a yellow house in the middle? Anyone up for a deletion or change? (WT-en) Zepppep 11:52, 13 November 2009 (EST)11:40, 13 November 2009 (EST)

Hmm, I'm not sure I understand the point about the listings, but I agree about the photo. I'd swap the current lead pic probably with the one of the law quad, although I am partial to the cube. Or perhaps you have something better up your sleeve? --(WT-en) Peter ^Talk 12:50, 13 November 2009 (EST)

Resto/Bar listings state 5-9 per category, so I think I'll break them up into subcategories. Cube wouldn't make a good 1st pic, so perhaps the quad or stadium (since it's the largest football stadium in N. Amer. I think). Maybe you could switch the pic and I could work on the Eat section.(WT-en) Zepppep 21:06, 16 November 2009 (EST)

Bill's Van Service, LLC

Bill's Van Service, LLC provides both airport shuttle service, and Ann Arbor taxi services. —The preceding comment was added by (WT-en) Bill's Van Service (talk • contribs)

That is great, but as the Project:Don't tout guideline spells out, you are allowed one and only one listing in this article. I've removed the duplicate entry. -- (WT-en) Ryan • (talk) • 22:56, 22 August 2011 (EDT)

The information for Bill's Van Service is most relevant to the "By Taxi" section.

New Museum Notice

Vintage Flipper World has just started gathering its vintage pin-ball game machines for all of the Midwest to admire, in Green Oaks Township off US23 at Silver Lake Road (about 8 miles directly north). Any questions and comments? --Lo Ximiendo (talk) 00:43, 6 October 2013 (UTC)