There was the usual work at the City Commission's work session meeting Monday. In the middle of the usual material, an interesting discussion broke out about old buildings in town.
Nothing was decided and nothing may be for a while, but, they did bring up the question of preserving our historical buildings in town.
Specifically they talked about the old Pilgrim church, which is by the old high school on Central Avenue.
has
The building now holds the Vinelife Church, and the people there are doing what they can to keep the place up.
The building itself is a masterpiece of architecture. It has many of the original stained glass windows, which are irreplaceable. But the windows are getting to be in bad shape and in need of serious repair.
It is going to cost over $100,000 to fix it up, and that is to stop the deterioration, of the windows and the building in general.
They dont want to raise taxes to do it, but they do see that something is going to have to be done.
Some old buildings have been left to deterioration, and some old buildings are no longer with us. The old city hall for one, which was somewhere around where the current city hall is. Pictures show it to be a grande building, odo gne that should have been saved.
But it cost money to do that.
This really isn't something "the city" can do. Besides, they'd get ripped for raising taxes to do it.
But this is something the community should do as a matter of pride.
It needs to happen pretty soon though. Buildings do get to the point of no return sometimes.
The old buildings along Summit are in the same condition. The metal coverings over the windows looks bad, but it does at least protect them from the weather.
Owners are not taking care of the buildings and they are deteriorating.
What will Arkansas City do about it?
Will they let their city crumble into dust?
Its really up to the people of the city.
One of the commissioners pointed out that talk is cheap. What is needed is someone with vision and a willingness to work ... and a good amount of money wouldn't hurt.
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3 comments:
Although it isn't an old building per se, the former School Board building sits empty. I believe it is not on the tax rolls (boo), is costing insurance money and utilities. Is not it a fiduciary responsibility of the board to respond to offers to purchase it? So far they haven't.
the city has already tore down many buildings which should have been saved, like the elmo hotel for one, the pool's bleachers, etc. and funny how they just chose a new motto for the city-who got to choose it is anyone's guess but the public didn't get to, which is something about preserving our past and something about the future (bleak perhaps? if we all keep plodding along like cattle and letting city hall run things their way instead of speaking up)
This is a good point.
People need to get involved.
If City Hall does something you don't like, and they don't know about it ... I hate to say ... it's your own fault.
Agendas for work sessions and regular meetings are on the city's web site a few days before the meetings. They are also published in the newspaper.
At every meeting there is a public comment time, where you can get up and talk about anything not on the agenda.
Reason for that is, if its on the agenda, there will be a time to give input at some point, or they may have already held the public hearing.
Thats just a matter of proceedure.
So you can have your voice heard.
It is getting better. Used to be I was the only non-city person there. Now some people are starting to show up.
So let your voice be heard.
The commissioners and mayor will listen to you. They my or may not do what you want, but they will listen.
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