I didn't live in Woodstock when the movement got underway to demolish the Opera House and create a parking lot on the same corner. I heard about it, though, and my late mother-in-law was on the committee that saved it. People Power. And it can still work.
At Tuesday night's City Council meeting the ravages of inflation occurred in just over 10 minutes. Panic should have set in. How could this happen???
The planner for WCLS informed the Council that it would take $500,000 to upgrade Grace Hall. Then, about ten minutes later, Mr. Egan told the Council that it would take $700,000 to upgrade Grace Hall. I didn't recognize any expressions on faces of Council members that they had heard "$500,000" on minutes before. Hopefully, the City Clerk will record the numbers for posterity.
Gee, too bad they didn't lock in the upgrade contract earlier. That was a 40% increase in costs to upgrade, and only one resident commented on it. Did the Council believe either number?
The whiners beat on the Council repeatedly about Grace Hall's becoming a museum. I haven't heard much talk about that one, but several dragged it up. Come on, folks. If the Dick Tracy Museum can't stay in business on the Square, how could a Todd Hall or Orson Welles Museum stay in business on Route 47?
Here's my suggestion for Grace Hall. Maybe others have already thought of it, but I haven't heard it mentioned.
Grant Landmark status to Grace Hall. Turn Grace Hall into a showplace on Route 47. Create 4-6-8 residence units. Utilize the brainpower of Landmark-status advocates to find the funding to help poor ol' Woodstock Christian Life Services out of its $9,000,000 annual revenues dilemma.
Just because an organization is non-profit doesn't mean it's poor. Sure, they spend all they rake it. That's what non-profits do. All "non-profit" status means is they don't pay taxes on their surplus earnings (profit). With everyone else having to cut back, maybe their executives have to take it on the chin a little.
The price tag on the duplexes in the current plan is $200,-250,000 EACH. Gasp! Is there a waiting line in Woodstock for quarter-million dollar housing? Really? No, wait; that's not the "price tag"; it's not the purchase price. It's the "entry fee." And then the resident pays a monthly fee after that.
By approving the special use permit on Tuesday night, the City has sounded the death knell for Grace Hall. Only the People will save it. The Government of the People gave it away.
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A few comments and other examples of saving Woodstock history; First there's the old Courthouse and Sheriffs’ house. The Belairs and Cliff Ganshaw worked to save the old and dilapidated structure that, today still serves the community. Though it has had its struggles, it still remains as icon to the community. Secondly, there's the old Post Office. It has been preserved and serves to function for it's owners; I'm sure at great expense. Then there's the high school, the old Wire Works building, and train depot. All have been rehabbed, converted, or otherwise preserved to serve the community and their current owner's needs. And dare I mention the very building that serves as the City Hall.
What do all these have in common? Owners taking on the responsibility and burden of being the custodians of these historic assets. The City Counsel seems to want to praise WCLS as great community members. I say BULL. They are shirking the very responsibility that they assumed when they purchased the property some 50 years ago; preserving the history that defines our Community. History is what sets a Community apart from Suburbia. Woodstock has a long and great history. Those who acquire pieces of it should be held to preserving it. Not for their OWN benefit, but for the benefit of the Community. And our City Counsel needs to be held to the same expectation.
So why didn't the "landmark" people get invovled some 50 years ago? As for the old courthouse just think how nice an asset to the community it would be if the owners took care of it.
You want reasons?
1. No one was trying to demolish the building 50 years ago.
2. Many of the current "landmark" people weren't even born 50 years ago.
3. Others were young, even minors.
Duhhhhh.....
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