Whatever happened to the city's efforts to restore the clubhouse at Clifford Park?
Residents surrounding the park had raised concerns more than a year ago about restoring the building, which is well over 100 years old.
The repair project is estimated to cost tens of thousands of dollars, an undertaking the city manager said he would match providing the community raised a portion of the money.
But a resident action team discovered that the city could apply to have the structure labeled as an historic building. If granted historic status, the city could then apply for grants to help offset, if not altogether fund the renovation.
But though enthusiasm remains within the community, the city seems to have abandoned its efforts to save the building, which older city residents may remember as the true birthplace of Auburn High School sports.
The park and clubhouse were commissioned in 1897 to be a baseball field, tennis courts, ice skating rink and a football field.
Today, the park is in desperate need of TLC.
The tennis courts need to be refurbished and the park is riddled with trash. There isn't a single trash can anywhere on the facility and there is no permanent groundskeeper.
There are even memorial flowers that aren't regularly attended to, which I find horrifying.
If you ask me, Clifford Park has the potential to be a great park, as it once was through the 1940s. Why not at least try to have the structure rebuilt?
Public restrooms and equipment storage would be a huge benefit to the general public.
It really bothers me that the community took it upon themselves to do research for the renovation, hiring contractors and investigating grant options. But when they presented it to the city, the city never bothered to go that extra inch to get the ball rolling.
At one point this movement had the support of many prominent political officials. Perhaps when the flash bulbs subside, our political representatives are nothing more than lazy opportunists who could care less about the park or what it means to the city.
I know I get a lot of enjoyment out of the park. With a little research and a lot of heart, it could be something really special.
If nothing else, are a couple of garbage cans a whole lot to ask?
Estabrook's column appears Mondays and she can be reached at estabrookcarole@yahoo.com stabrookcarole@yahoo.com
The repair project is estimated to cost tens of thousands of dollars, an undertaking the city manager said he would match providing the community raised a portion of the money.
But a resident action team discovered that the city could apply to have the structure labeled as an historic building. If granted historic status, the city could then apply for grants to help offset, if not altogether fund the renovation.
But though enthusiasm remains within the community, the city seems to have abandoned its efforts to save the building, which older city residents may remember as the true birthplace of Auburn High School sports.
The park and clubhouse were commissioned in 1897 to be a baseball field, tennis courts, ice skating rink and a football field.
Today, the park is in desperate need of TLC.
The tennis courts need to be refurbished and the park is riddled with trash. There isn't a single trash can anywhere on the facility and there is no permanent groundskeeper.
There are even memorial flowers that aren't regularly attended to, which I find horrifying.
If you ask me, Clifford Park has the potential to be a great park, as it once was through the 1940s. Why not at least try to have the structure rebuilt?
Public restrooms and equipment storage would be a huge benefit to the general public.
It really bothers me that the community took it upon themselves to do research for the renovation, hiring contractors and investigating grant options. But when they presented it to the city, the city never bothered to go that extra inch to get the ball rolling.
At one point this movement had the support of many prominent political officials. Perhaps when the flash bulbs subside, our political representatives are nothing more than lazy opportunists who could care less about the park or what it means to the city.
I know I get a lot of enjoyment out of the park. With a little research and a lot of heart, it could be something really special.
If nothing else, are a couple of garbage cans a whole lot to ask?
Estabrook's column appears Mondays and she can be reached at estabrookcarole@yahoo.com stabrookcarole@yahoo.com
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cheeko wrote on Jun 20, 2009 2:22 PM:
LTC USAFRes(RET) wrote on Jun 16, 2009 10:33 AM:
drivebytrucker wrote on Jun 16, 2009 7:51 AM:
"Perhaps when the flash bulbs subside, our political representatives are nothing more than lazy opportunists who could care less about the park or what it means to the city." "