Russell went over his past connection to the library pretty quickly but I
think that's an important part of this project's history to remember.
Those of us on the list know Russell as dad, anti-graffiti vigilante,
etc....but in a past life he was a very good architect working on the
Landmark development that would have incorporated an office tower and other
new developments into a multi block project that could have included the
library.
This was a golden opportunity handed the city and should have been
grabbed....but he is totally correct in his point that it was never embraced
and instead was one more opportunity lost. Big vision laid on the city and
57 meetings later it was met with a collective: "Well, maybe we should study
this a little more." So then it was gone.
So was the other idea of incorporating a library into Block E. And so was
the idea of incorporating the library into the development of the
educational facilities around St. Thomas.
A little bit of study. A small article or two. Some topic public comments.
The visions come and go.
On and on. For years we have been treating the library as a modest
curiosity, some kind of nice frill but certainly not something that was all
that central to the vision of the city.
For my money, I can't think of too many other projects that have more of a
civic purpose...not retail centers, or stadiums or anything else.
No matter how this referendum comes out, the one very important thing that
has happened is that finally the library is at the center of the discussion
where it belongs.
R.T. Rybak
East Harriet
