The new road at Spring Street Hill will be dedicated tomorrow morning.
A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 10:00 AM to mark the event. If you would like to attend, the ceremony will be held at the top of the hill.
This is a project which is of prime importance to the residents of Silver Hills. It is more than that,though, it is a statement of commitment to the infrastructure of our city. It would have been irresponsible to abandon that pathway to Silver Hills, and it would have said that we are willing to live with deterioration. That is not a message we should be sending.
For those who may point to obvious signs of deterioration on many streets throughout the city and carp about skewed priorities, I would say this reclamation of the hillside road is a vitally important step in the initiative of renewal. This is only one of many steps we need to take, but it is a good one.
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10 comments:
Wondering if any new hardwoods were planted to stabilize the road bed?
Also - what was the argument again for reopening the road? I've honesty forgotten it's been closed so long...
Gina:
Doubtful any new trees were planted.
You may recall I had mentioned here an attempt to revive the Tree Board. The notion was given a positive reception by the administration, but nothing has come of it yet. It's time to prod again.
My reason for supporting the reopening of the road is simply my belief that a viable city does not accept atrophy of its infrastucture.
The same principle underlies my support for the goals of code enforcement, downtown revitalization and environmentally responsible planning for sustainable growth. Although these goals are elusive, they must be pursued. Reclaiming the infrastructure of Spring Street Hill is part of what I see as necessary for the city.
Perhaps the council could set some priorities and proactively work towards them.
It doesn't take a tree board to plant trees. It takes money. That's what the council controls.
True. All it takes to plant a tree is a hole and a seedling.
The Tree Board is an entity to ensure that propagation, protection and control of trees is done responsibly and with continuity. That is a needed and valuable common good.
When a I suggested a resolution to revive the tree board, I was asked to hold off. The adminisstration wanted to take the initiative on that issue. I deferred and am still waiting for the follow through.
Little money is needed and such that is, is available.
So take the initiative and go ahead and appropriate the money, specifying its use. In the event the administration doesn't have time or inclination to pursue it, it should be easy enough to find volunteers and/or hire a tree planting crew.
There's much the council can do to move things forward in many areas, if they just would.
Full Disclosure: The right of way for Spring St Hill was taken from my family back when it was built. The old German families at the top of the hill naturally wanted to know why the current road was not simply maintained. Main St Hill Road. A lovely well-built and erosion free victorian road. But rather than do what people thought at the time was more responsible, the town was gorging on Federal Highway dollars and wasn't interested in what was well-engineered or "reasonable". The objective was to build roads and pave roads. I remember one argument the city proposed at the time - the emergency vehicles couldn't make it up Main St Hill Road.
Then all the old German's who had proudly built up this beautiful strong Victorian infrastructure watched in horror as trees were clear cut and poorly engineered and poorly built, and of course over the ensuing years, poorly maintained roads were laid over the original infrastructure. Spring St Hill Road, if you add up what the town has spent since starting, you have to wonder what the point is.
Which always brings me back to - there is no point. It's make work for the city employees.
The defining feature of NA for 60 years has been out with the past, in with the new and who cares which is better. From where I've watched it's been a long deliberate decline and now I'm over thinking anyone left still alive cares. Or frankly, will even admit that the last 50+ years here have been a disaster.
I can also remember the people, a select and powerful few, who deliberately "developed" NA after that. I can assure you, the good of NA was not one their commerical objectives.
So, the tree thing just sticks out as a fine example of everything that is wrong here. We live in a flood plain and the city seems flummoxed when we get a downpour. The Victorians knew better. Heck, most middle school kids know better. If you cut trees on a hillside, the clay soil will slide with any amount of rain.
Tree Board? Mayor wants to take it? I'd like to see an ordinance presented that forbids the city from ever touching another tree. Anything we plant, and we've been at it for years, they will destroy somehow. The city hasn't a clue what the point of trees is. Why do we keep imagining they are going to do anything.
When they can maintain basic public safety and enforce the basic community standards already served up. Then they can plan parties at the riverfront and lunch with business people who have big plans for development.
This administration is not serving the public's stated interests, ie code enforcement. The house next door is worse than ever, don't even bother picking up trash or cutting grass this year... rats at the dumpster.
God this town is lost!
Gina:
All we have is our time. We can't change the past. With some sincere effort we can make the now good, or at least better, which is some bequeathal to the future.
It may interest you to know that the early, early stages of assessment have begun on a plan to re-open Main St. Hill as a pedestrian/bicycle route. The defunct road, due to its long slumber, may become a nice, accessible, wooded path with a view of the river.
John, yes, what's done is done, but let's all commit to protecting that which is left. How long before the new new new Spring St Hill Road slides? The hideous gravel pours they use here to replace tree roots are not up to the work of hardwood roots. Plus, native hardwoods clean the air, reduce CO2. Is the city really proud of the gravel/asphalt road? When I see it coming over the bridge I wince - it's like a gash on the hill. Not to worry, soon all the invasive species like Kudzu and poison ivy will cover it.
John, how do we know the past of building unsustainable infrastructure is not in full swing as never before?
Please let me know the Main St Hill project will not be run by the city. It should be done by a private 501c org. I want the city I pay taxes to do finish the work they've never even started over many years. I want clean streets, I want slumlords and extractors and all commercial parasites out of town. I want the human misery I face everyday in 3-4 serious ghettos downtown dealt with! I think everyone is mentally insane sometimes and I'm sorry I come off so annoyed. The city government does not function for the benefit of the community as a whole. Fix the basics. Leave the beautification to residents, volunteer boards, neighborhood groups, etc. I'd be happy if this government could accomplish just getting a reality check.
John, I appreciate your service as councilman, don't mistake my Boston no-holds-barred rhetorical style for anything but what it is...
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