March 7, 2008
Come give input on future of South Side Depot
The public is invited to attend one of two public meetings to determine if there is sufficient support in the community for the National Park Service to acquire the historic South Side Depot (and thereby establish a presence in Old Towne). The scoping meetings will be held at Union Station at 10 am to 12 noon, then again from 7 pm to 9 pm, on Friday March 14 (Friday for the Arts). This forum will allow public comments, opinions, and concerns about the depot.
I’m surprised that I’ve heard so little about this during the week. We are very interested in attending Friday since this property is directly behind us! It doesn’t seem that the City has the funds to fix this up, so I am in favor of any kind of positive use … vice deterioration. This could be a killer entertainment venue as well, but I guess we’ll miss that opportunity if this transfers to the NPS. I had heard at one time plans for a possible stage back there?
I think this would be great for petersurg for several reasons.
First off, I am the type of conservative that is not too fond of too many museums. I come from an area where there are myriad colonial era (mostly dutch) museums where very few people actually visit — in an area where the flippant spending of taxpayer dollars is legend, so the idea of a new museum doesn’t excite me.
THat said, the station seems too important historically to put it solely to private, comercial, use.
I am for the NPS taking over the site, ot because I am a yankee, but because it will mean it is FEDERAL money being poured into the city, not scarce peterburg dollars AND it will help get tourists to the battlefield into downtown petersburg.
I must admit that having it run by a little partisan southern group would’ve had its own perverse charm, showing the world that there are still some who believe the revisionist history of the Dunning School, would be a tourist attraction in itself. But alas, that was not to be…