HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Center - Peninsula Clarion Opinionp~ ~ eNOeBmUsr"B,''PII§T'renih~ulu Clarl'ah' `
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ho renewed issue of a community center
sounds Iilce five blind men trying to
identify an elephant- The Konai com-
munity center discussion is immersed
in confusian because there is nn shared vision of
what we're actually talkirtg abonC.
Tho fast time we had a public community center
debate the object was a Large proposal with a total
cost that approached $4 million, so thaC's what tl:e
the words "cumrnunity center" being W mind.
Given the 8-i margin of the city voters' rejection
of bonds for that plan in 188&, a lot of people
automatically oppose "community center." But
the reality is that nn one in Coday's debate knows
what anyone else means by "community center."
One person's version is a
~~ great room, a museum and a
~S1G cultural center, which sounds
C~i1~E'Y' like a rebirth of the `86 pro-
~ posal, but Ehis time it's sup-
C~~~,ya~~ posed to cost half as much.
Why it would cost half as
much is unclear. The council
doesn't have a specific pco-
posal.
Another version would allow for erecting a
metal building for use as aeommunity center,
possibly wi6h Borne small reyated out buildings.
Now, that could easily cost l~s than half of the
198& proposal, but it wouldn't satisfy people who
like "real" buildings.
HighC now, the community center can be just
about anything That anyone has In mind, so it's lit-
tlewonder that the issue is confused.
The City Council can do something about this.
On Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. at City Hall the council will
hold a meeting to discuss plans for the 1991 city
bicentennial celebration and prospects fora bi-
centennialcenter (aka "`community center").
Given Che present confusion, the council's
priorities for that meeting must include some
agreement of what it means by "community
center." Citizens may want to tell their council
representatives between now and then what they
want or don't want in such a project.
But until there is an agreement about what style
and scale of a project the City Council is consider-
ing, there is little else that can be debated. The
reactionist Cendency to dismiss the whole thing as
a backdoor bid to circumvent the 1986 vote is
premature.
The proposal to hold a city bicentennial obser-
vance and to construct for it some public facilities
of lasting value is worth considering. If the City
Council means tocorrect the perception that it Is
only thinking of the same old community center, it
is going to have to prove that this is a new idea
worth a new look.
It is also wise, meanwhile, to remember that it
is only a proposal, and that no action has been
taken except to include the idea an the city's cap-
tialappropriations "wish list."
For priorities, it might also be well to keep in
mind that the community center is not even No. 1
an the list. That spot has been reserved by the City
Council For state capital funds for paving and
street improvements.