Brand Park Pool

[Chris 2,162]

11 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

My point is that, with enough teenagers and adults in the pool, "tragedy" is very unlikely to happen.

Setting aside the obvious legal ramifications of a kid drowning, are you even aware of what a drowning person actually looks and acts like? And if you are, do you honestly think the average adult walking around Elmira does? Or the average fifteen year old?

I and my decades of emergency medical experience guarantee you that they do not.

And I’ll go a step further and assure you that the average person does not know how to respond or take measures to save that limp body’s life other than call 911 and wait. And by then, it could very well be too late. Or too late for any kind of life worth living, free of brain damage from hypoxemia.

Trained lifeguards do know how to do all that, as the very name of the job implies.

You and/or the candidate should be focusing on real working solutions, like your green space ideas for the park, rather than ideas that are simply not remotely realistic or possible in todays world. 

[MsKreed 1,179]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Trained lifeguards do know how to do all that, as the very name of the job implies.

Exactly!

Even if operators designate "accompanied by an adult" rules, the facility has to have lifeguards on duty. 

Aside from good common sense, and mitigating potential liability for personal injury, lifeguards are required by the mandatory "Swimming Pool Safety Plan" filed with the NYS Department of Health. 

See HERE

 

 

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 18]

You have probably realized that I am a very outspoken person. You do need to realize that unless I specifically say "Jim thinks", these are my thoughts and opinions.

Often, I am acting as a gadfly getting people to think about their responses. Too often, people go along with the perceived wisdom of a situation - it's the law so it must be right. We have to obey laws and the regulations that enforce them, but do we stop to question the rationality or practicality of those regulations.

without introducing a new topic, I want to illustrate this last point with a story.

I am as liberal as it is possible to be, but I was thrown off an extreme left-wing site because I had the temerity to agree with the rather disagreeable senator from North Carolina. In true Republican fashion he complained about government overreach in requiring restaurants to post signs in restroom requiring employees to wash their hands before returning to work. I agreed with him. The response was hysterical - of course employees must wash their hands, etc etc.  I don't entirely agree with that (another post coming soon), but it is an issue for the restaurant owner, not the government.

[Adam 373]

7 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

You do need to realize that unless I specifically say "Jim thinks", these are my thoughts and opinions.

Im confident no one here believes otherwise. It likely would be beneficial to your candidate to use this platform to elucidate his thinking on such matters.  There are many that are no fans of current office-holders, the term Leadership would be too generous. But the optics of a campaign manager supporting the elimination, or at least questioning the need for them, forces one to think there is a lack of concern/knowledge for safety or litigation against the City(taxpayers) on the part of the Candidate

 

7 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

We have to obey laws and the regulations that enforce them,

That's what happens in a civilized Society

7 hours ago, Elizabeth Whitehouse said:

but do we stop to question the rationality or practicality of those regulations.

Honestly, probably not often enough. but while questioning them, do so based upon facts that might even negate your(general term) position, if the information bears out the need for change; Lobby elected officials to amend the law/regulation. While working or waiting for change, we cannot ignore those Laws.

[Elizabeth Whitehouse 18]

I have to say again, that I am managing a campaign; I am not a candidate.  What I think should not matter.

There are several issues on which our opinions vary widely. Policing is one of them. Jim is strongly in favor of supporting the police, though he would like to see more on the ground, community-based activity. That is, more foot patrols; more face-to-face interaction. Less confrontation.

 

[MsKreed 1,179]

The State mandate for lifeguard supervision that I shared earlier has nothing to do with local police enforcement....whether more foot patrols or fewer officers on the EPD force, or any other policy that a City Official would have control over.

If the City of Elmira were to re-open a public pool without lifeguards (in violation of the requirements outlined in the "Swimming Pool Safety Plan" filed with the State), then the State Department of Health (Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection), not the local "police" are the officials who oversee and enforce matters of NYS Public Safety regulations. 

[TTL News 308]

Let’s stay on topic here, that being Brand Park pool. Posts pertaining to the police have been moved to that topic. 

[Jim 13]

I believe strongly in historic preservation. It is one of the foundations of renovation of small towns all across America, because these structures have character and charm; they draw our attention and give us a sense of place and beauty; they recall our past; they defy the architectural uglification that has plagued our cityscapes and landscapes over the past 70 years. It is for a thriving future that I see historic preservation as a fundamental aspect of our future. For those of you who wish to accuse me of living in the past, I urge you to look into the towns of Main Street America, for example, towns that through downtown revitalization and historic preservation are thriving.

As I see it, the people who are living in the past in Elmira are those who neglect our heritage, our buildings, our parks, etc. They are the leaders who inherited the give-up mentality of 1972 and can’t get beyond it, leaders who dishonor the past–to reference the city’s website–and decide categorically to tear historic buildings down or sell them instead of taking care of them and honoring our past, leaders who get rid of the evidence in order not to have to answer for their negligence and lack of responsibility, leaders who contribute to the blight that plagues Elmira by adding to the parking or vacant lot inventory instead of working to revitalize the city. How can we trust the word of such leaders?

The last assessment of the Brand Park pool was done in 2010, I believe. I have a copy of it, and it does lay out a possible scenario for restoration. There has been a lot of water over the dam since, of course, and it may be that the structure is too far gone to be fully restored. We cannot listen to the people who just scoff at the building, however, without any real knowledge of its state. If it cannot be restored to a swimming pool, then we should at least ask ourselves: are there other possible uses for it? Could we repurpose it and retain some of its charm and memory? Are there sources of funding for repairs? Tearing it down without an imaginative consideration first of other possibilities and without input from the public should be the last resort.

It should be a fundamental responsibility of elected officials to take care of the property belonging to the City, that is to the people of Elmira. We elect them to be stewards, and they should be held accountable for their neglect. Like all residents of Elmira, our leaders should be required to maintain our city codes. And if we look at the other side of the coin, we must recognize that we are equally to blame, when we don’t hold them accountable. The City should, therefore, review its charter and revise it to ensure that the upkeep of our properties is an essential requirement of governing.
 

[Jim 13]

Note from Jim Hassell:

I believe strongly in historic preservation. It is one of the foundations of renovation of small towns all across America, because these structures have character and charm; they draw our attention and give us a sense of place and beauty; they recall our past; they defy the architectural uglification that has plagued our cityscapes and landscapes over the past 70 years. It is for a thriving future that I see historic preservation as a fundamental aspect of our future. For those of you who wish to accuse me of living in the past, I urge you to look into the towns of Main Street America, for example, towns that through downtown revitalization and historic preservation are thriving.

As I see it, the people who are living in the past in Elmira are those who neglect our heritage, our buildings, our parks, etc. They are the leaders who inherited the give-up mentality of 1972 and can’t get beyond it, leaders who dishonor the past–to reference the city’s website–and decide categorically to tear historic buildings down or sell them instead of taking care of them and honoring our past, leaders who get rid of the evidence in order not to have to answer for their negligence and lack of responsibility, leaders who contribute to the blight that plagues Elmira by adding to the parking or vacant lot inventory instead of working to revitalize the city. How can we trust the word of such leaders?

The last assessment of the Brand Park pool was done in 2010, I believe. I have a copy of it, and it does lay out a possible scenario for restoration. There has been a lot of water over the dam since, of course, and it may be that the structure is too far gone to be fully restored. We cannot listen to the people who just scoff at the building, however, without any real knowledge of its state. If it cannot be restored to a swimming pool, then we should at least ask ourselves: are there other possible uses for it? Could we repurpose it and retain some of its charm and memory? Are there sources of funding for repairs? Tearing it down without an imaginative consideration first of other possibilities and without input from the public should be the last resort.

It should be a fundamental responsibility of elected officials to take care of the property belonging to the City, that is to the people of Elmira. We elect them to be stewards, and they should be held accountable for their neglect. Like all residents of Elmira, our leaders should be required to maintain our city codes. And if we look at the other side of the coin, we must recognize that we are equally to blame, when we don’t hold them accountable. The City should, therefore, review its charter and revise it to ensure that the upkeep of our properties is an essential requirement of governing.
 

[Rod 18]

lofty ideas and words, and we’ve heard them all before

usually from people who move here and think they have all the answers us local rubes haven’t thought of 100 times already

or those who move from district to district seeking political office where evr one opens up

Elmira has a lot of other bigger problems besides a shell of a pool that’s not even the original one built in the 20s 

[MsKreed 1,179]

Yes, heritage and historical preservation are important.

But not at the sacrifice of practical utilization and providing services that benefit the public. The historic purpose of the original pool (which, as Rod points out, was replaced in the 1940’s) was a community resource, open to the public for use as an aquatic recreation.

As middle and upper income families (homeowners and gated condo/apartment complexes) increasingly have the means to invest in private pools, while lower income and urban residents have far fewer options. Why would the City waste funds and resources creating what is essentially a shrine to a past (replaced) recreational facility....instead of repurposing the property into a modernized aquatic recreational facility (splash park) that fulfills the historic purpose???

 

“Hey kids!

We know the summer months are long and hot and your parents can’t afford to transport you to Harris Hill or someplace else outside the city to safely cool off and play in the water.

But we have put a lot of effort into sprucing up the shell of this concrete behemoth. So you can stand around admiring it and be reminded of how your grandparents actually had a public facility where they could enjoy water-play when they were your age!!”

Edited August 29, 2023 by MsKreed

[Chris 2,162]

If there was a way to retain the facade of the shell without a ton of money going to waste in it, I could see preserving it and incorporating a splash pad into that somehow. But as far as renovating it into a pool again? No. 

[Rod 18]

I dont say much on here but ive even reading these topics and recognising a couple names so i did some looking into it

how many times can people move around and run for office ? you got one running for mayor who ran for legislature in catlin, and a campaign manager. whose run for mayor of corning a couple time and then suddenly the next year for county legislator here in chemung county 

you've jumped on two topics that are hot and ion peoples minds and say we lack imagination like were a bunch of rubes but were smarter than you think 

makes me wonder what the real agenda is here with all this hopping from place to place

[Hal 341]

18 hours ago, Rod said:

makes me wonder what the real agenda is here with all this hopping from place to place

Rod , I believe we all know what their agenda or endgame is 👍! 

[Jim 13]

FYI. I will address the Elmira city council tonight on the topic of the BPP building, at 5:30. If you have the time and interest, please attend.

[Chris 2,162]

Thanks for the heads up Jim. I merged this post in with the existing thread about the pool for continuity's sake. 

[Jim 13]

Below there is a link to the excellent report by Nick Dubina of the last Elmira City Council's meeting, including video recordings of my remarks and Mr. Mandell's response to me, as well as Mr. Dubina's research on the pool. The last engineering report, which showed that the Brand Park Pool could be restored, was done in 2010. The story of the pool is one of neglect by many mayors, including Mr. Mandell, who in his response to me first claims that the pool is not restorable, Later in his response, he admits that he has no idea what the cost would be to restore it, and he also reveals that he has never considered any other possibilities, such as removing the pool and restoring only the building. Nor has he asked the people of Elmira what they might like for its future. His interest in the history of Elmira is nil, and he has no understanding of the value that would come to city with the care of its historical properties. Look at what he did with the Maxwell Place fire station. Like other mayors, he neglected it for several years, then sold it in 2020 for $1. It is a monument of great importance and value to the city and to the district where it stands, and treating it in this manner is a shameful disgrace and insult to the City of Elmira. In the end, his casual disregard for the fire station and for Brand Park Pool will cost a great deal in tourism, attractiveness, historical value, pride, character, and charm to our city. Consider also his failure to do anything about the Court House in 2016, when the city first learned of the problem with the tower. How much wasted money have those 8 years of neglect meant for the city? As you probably know, we are now up to about $4 million for its restoration.

Regarding the mayor's comments about the fire station, the building is an important link to Elmira's fire industry history. Dumping it off to an individual is an insult to Elmira, especially for $1. As for putting it on the tax rolls by selling, that is a joke and a fabricated attempt to hide the real reasons. The value that would come to the city in the future as a historic monument or museum in celebration of the fire industry is far greater. This callous sale is another typical example of the visionless waste of Elmira''s great resources and money.

My message to the City Council can be found in Mr. Dubina's article, and I will post a more complete version here later. Please read it and consider acting to stop this senseless destruction of such a valuable asset. The Brand Park Pool building belongs to us, not to the unilateral, whimsical decision of an unimaginative, visionless mayor. The building belongs to all of us.

Brand Park Pool could have been "saved and repaired" in 2010, report says (mytwintiers.com)

 

Edited March 3 by Jim
Clarity

[Jim 13]

Here is my complete message to the Elmira City Council at the council meeting, Feb.26. If you have already read the section that appears in Nick Dubina's article, then scroll down and start reading at the paragraph that begins: "Have you noticed the catch phrase..."

In 2015, when Mr. Mandell was running for mayor, he came by my house to ask for my vote. I told him that I was concerned about the state of the Maxwell Place fire station and asked for his thoughts. His reply was that the city didn’t have the money to repair it; so I suggested that he might consider setting aside a certain amount of money for restoration in the city’s budget each year. I proposed $100,000. Had he done that, the city would now have more than a million dollars for such use. 

Instead, as mayor he did nothing other than neglect it, like many before him, until 2020, when he and the city council gave it away for a song, a mere $1. It confirmed my suspicion that Mr. Mandell had no interest in Elmira’s past grandeur and no understanding of the value that its historical monuments bring to the city. Also, it underscored the city officials’ lack of a devotion to duty, the lack of imagination, vision, and stewardship, the willingness to take care of the properties that belong not to these officials, but to the people of Elmira, that has characterized our governments for far too long.

Take the city’s failure to maintain our parks, in spite of the false claims this past fall by the mayor that he had, and I quote, “made vast improvements and investments in our City Parks.” After 7 years of our city’s neglect, you can be sure that nothing would have been done about the skate rink at Eldridge Park, for example, had not Andy Patros made a public stink about it. I also recommend you take a stroll through our parks if you want to get a true appraisal of their sick state. This is just one of many examples that typify the state of affairs in Elmira. We have been witness to years of neglect... And that neglect applies to many aspects of the city: we proudly claim to have a large number of Victorian houses in Elmira. So what do about them? Many, if not most, are boarded up. And what about the hundreds of rotting houses in the city? The city might cite you if you let your grass grow too high, but the evidence says that they couldn’t care less about the slumlords and derelict houses?

Check this house out, for example, on Grand Central; or this one on W. Second St., about a block from my home; these are just 2 examples of hundreds of similar houses and of the failures of city government, failures by the way, that have contributed to this government’s regularly increasing the tax burden on you and me. So with that in mind, let’s turn our attention to the importance of Elmira’s history and to the Brand Park Pool. 

First, going back to the Maxwell Pl. fire station, one of the campaign pledges I made to Elmirans was to regain the fire station and purchase buildings used by the fire industry, for the purpose of creating a fire museum to celebrate that glorious part of Elmira’s history. Imagine what such a project would bring to the city? It would increase tourism, it would be a source of pride for our city and give Elmira publicity throughout the U.S. It would stimulate growth, improvement and investment throughout Elmira, and especially in the city’s 4th and 5th districts, districts that have been sadly neglected for years, and it would be a signal to the people of those districts that we care about them, and a signal to all of Elmira that we want the entire city to thrive. (to be a destination, a drive-to, not a drive-through, as I proposed in my campaign.)

The same can be said of the BPP building. So, during last year’s campaign, I talked with lots of people in Elmira, either in person or via social media. Most told me they would prefer to keep the building, even if the pool would not be included. Nearly all had no interest in a splash pool. What about the one that’s already there? Go have a look. It hasn’t worked for years. And the park facilities generally? Go by and check out the rusted swings and so on and, in the summer, the 3-4 foot weeds that adorn the playground. Do you really think a new splash pad will fare any better? And how could it replace the BPP? The people who used and loved the pool spent all day there; they swam and socialized and ate there, and they stayed out of trouble. (The city cut me off after “playground.”

Why doesn’t the city ask the people of Elmira if they’d like to see it rehabilitated; why don’t they investigate current costs of restoration and look into grants for restoration; and why don’t they ask the people what uses they would recommend instead of making categorical decisions based on their own biases. I can think of many possibilities: summer and winter skating and other sports activities, arts programs and events, private and public gatherings, weddings, and on and on... The BPP building, which I like to call Elmira’s Little Roman Coliseum, is a fairly rare style. It is a period piece that would also bring tourism to the city, give Elmira another odd and beautiful gem to show off, and, like the Maxwell Pl. Fire station, bring pride and attention to District 5 and to all of Elmira.

Given what the mayor stated about the fire station, it is no surprise that he also claims that it would cost too much to repair the BPP building. No one really knows the cost, however, either to fully restore or to rehabilitate only the building. In 2010 the engineering firm hired by the city gave an estimate of $1.6 million for repairs. That cost would be higher today, of course, but is it not worth finding out? We know that our city allocates funds in ways that are often mysterious, unjustifiable, and wasteful, like the $2 million of Covid grant money used to replace the sprinkler system at the city’s golf course. I ask you: how much does the sprinkler project benefit the city, the entire city? Can it claim to bring anywhere near the value of what would accrue to Elmira and Elmirans by rehabilitating and using the Maxwell Place fire station or the BPP building? And by the way, they don’t grow back.

Historic preservation brings great value to communities: spiritual, economic, aesthetic, and cities and small towns in the U.S. that have recognized this truth are thriving. They know that these structures have character and charm, that they draw our attention and give us a sense of place and beauty, that they recall our past and that they defy the architectural uglification that has plagued city- and landscapes like Elmira’s over the past 70 years. And for those towns that don’t value their history, they muddle along in the suffocating mire of an unappealing status quo; in our case, it’s the give-up mentality of ‘72. 

Have you noticed the catch phrase that used to pop up on the city’s website? It read: Honoring the past, building the future. Whenever I saw that, I thought: what a joke, what a sham. It’s no longer on the webpage, by the way. I imagine they took it down after I pointed out last year the fraud that it expressed. I think they should put it back up, but with honesty. I suggest: Destroying the past, impoverishing the future.

How many people have you heard say: “Elmira is a dump.” Maybe you’ve said it too. I don’t like to hear that any more than anyone. But enough people from in and around Elmira say it that we’d better take it seriously. Consider, for example, comparing the Maxwell Pl. Fire station with the fire station, city hall, etc., in Elmira Heights, now the property of the Heights Historic Society. Both these buildings were built in 1897. Drive by and do a comparison. Or ask yourselves about Elmira’s yearly loss of population, many of them young people who see few opportunities here; many others you may know, people who have been established here for years and have vested interests in our community but have moved away to greener pastures like W. Elmira or other nearby locations. Have you asked them why? Don’t these trends speak to you? Don't they say something about the failures of our governments to attend to the Elmra's needs?

I came to Elmira in 2000. It is my home, and I love this area and the people here. But I can say to you that little has changed in the city since I first arrived. Some things have improved, in part due to the good work, vision and taste of some local entrepreneurs who recognize the value of heritage properties. And some things are worse, as the city continues on its visionless, undisciplined and piecemeal uglifying and malling (pun intended) of our city.

Finally, my last word is for the people of Elmira. As you all know, nationally we are embroiled in a wrestling match about making America great again. What we all need to realize, however, is this: making America great, or greater, does not start at the Texas-Mexico border. It starts right here in Elmira. If we don’t show an interest in government, if we don’t demand transparency and accountability of our government officials, if we don’t vote, and if we don’t demand accountability of ourselves, we get what we have: wasteful, secretive, unimaginative, neglectful, indifferent to Elmira’s great heritage, in brief, bad government.

We all have a chance to help regenerate a magnificent city, by saving the properties that are part of our soul and that will lead us to a grander future. If we fail to stop the mayor's destruction of our heritage, we will impoverish our future and contribute more and more to the decline of our city. Please do what you can to help this effort.

Edited March 4 by Jim

[Jim 13]

Would you write to our city officials a letter opposing the demolition of this magnificent building? I offer the following letter that you are welcome to adapt and use, if you wish:

Model letter:

Mayor Mandell, City Manager Mike Collins, and members of the Elmira City Council:

It is my understanding that you have made a unilateral decision to demolish the historic Brand Park Pool. As you know, the last appraisal of the building and pool was done in 2010, and no further professional examinations have taken place since then. Instead, the building has been irresponsibly and disgracefully neglected by our city governments. As a result, we do not know the actual state of the building and pool, as you, Mr. Mandell, pointed out in your recent interview with WETM news.

Brand Park Pool belongs to all the people of Elmira. It has meant so much to this city, especially to those (like me) who used to swim, socialize, play and eat there. It is a truly vital and invaluable asset, for both its historic and future value to us, and I would like to ask the city to commission a new appraisal of the cost of repairs that takes into consideration all possibilities of restoration. If, then, it is found that the pool is not able to be restored because of cost, then we should at least consider preserving and repurposing the building for both public and private uses, such as sports activities in winter and summer, tourism, public events, artistic events and activities, and private events, such as business gatherings, weddings, and so on. I also believe that the people of Elmira should be invited to offer their opinions about restoration and re-use of the building. In addition, we should consider applying for grants and conducting a capital funding effort to pay for the restoration, if feasible. Until these efforts are made, in my opinion, the decision to tear down the building is unjustifiable, unacceptable and irresponsible.

Sincerely,
 

[Chris 2,162]

I'll try to go through and respond to some of your statements piece by piece at some point, Jim, but things are really busy here at HQ lately. In the meantime, I'll sum it up by saying I think the time to save this pool has passed. The expense of restoring it or maintaining ANY municipal pools for what, two or maybe three months out of the year, is prohibitive. 

You DO make some really good points about the old fire station on Maxwell Ave. I like your idea for that. However that's a pretty rough area, so there'd have to be an effort to clean up that neighborhood and reduce crime along with the restoration of the building. 

I'm not a city resident, and as a county taxpayer, I'm already paying out more from taxes than I'm seeing in return, especially out here in the country where any request for more law enforcement is met with being told we're a "low need" areas. My point is, I don't want to pay for any more city projects than I have to. 

That all said, I DO appreciate and understand your commitment to preservation of historical buildings in the area. 

[Jim 13]

I sent the following opinion piece to the Star-Gazette, Mar. 6. They refused to publish it:

Letter to the Star-Gazette

In 2015, when Mr. Mandell was running for mayor, he came by my house to ask for my vote. I told him that I was concerned about the state of the Maxwell Place fire station and asked for his thoughts. His reply was that the city didn’t have the money to repair it; so I suggested that he consider setting aside a certain amount of money for restoration in the city’s budget each year. I proposed $100,000. Had he done that, the city would now have more than a million dollars for such use.

Instead, as mayor he did nothing other than neglect it, like many before him, until 2020, when he and the city council gave it away for a song, a mere $1. It confirmed my suspicion that Mr. Mandell had no interest in Elmira’s past grandeur and no understanding of the value that its historical monuments bring to the city. Also, it underscored to me what I have observed in many areas since then, that what has characterized our governments for far too long is neglect and waste, a lack of devotion to duty and a lack of imagination, vision, and stewardship, the willingness to take care of the properties that belong not to these officials, but to the people of Elmira. So with these thoughts in mind, let’s turn our attention to Elmira’s history and to the Brand Park Pool and building.

One of the campaign pledges I made to Elmirans last fall was to regain the Maxwell Pl. fire station and purchase buildings used by the fire industry, for the purpose of creating a fire museum to celebrate that glorious part of Elmira’s history. Imagine what returns such a project would bring to the city? It would increase tourism, it would be a source of pride for our city and give Elmira publicity throughout the U.S. It would stimulate growth, improvement and investment throughout Elmira, and especially in the city’s 4th and 5th districts, districts that have been sadly neglected for years, and it would be a signal to the people of those districts that we care about them and to all of Elmira that we want the entire city to thrive.

The same can be said of the BPP building. Last year, I talked with lots of Elmirans about the pool. Most told me they would prefer to keep the building, even if the pool could not be included. Nearly all had no interest in a splash pool. Have you seen the small one that’s already in Brand Park? It’s rusted out and hasn’t worked for years. And the park facilities generally? Check out the rusted, vandalized playground equipment. Do you really think a new splash pad will fare any better? And how could it replace the BPP? The people who used and loved the pool spent all day there; they swam and socialized and ate there, and they stayed out of trouble. Will we get the same value or vibes from a splash pad?

Instead of making blanket decisions based not on a firm foundation but on their own biases, why doesn’t the City ask the people of Elmira if they’d like to see it rehabilitated; why don’t they investigate current costs of restoration and look into grants for restoration; and why don’t they ask the people what uses they would recommend? I can think of many possibilities for the building: summer and winter skating and other sports activities, arts programs and events, private and public venues, business gatherings, weddings and other celebrations, and on and on... The BPP building, which I like to call Elmira’s Little Roman Coliseum, is designed in a fairly rare and attractive style and is of historic interest. It would also bring tourism to the city, give Elmira another odd, beautiful and useful gem to show off, and, like the Maxwell Pl. Fire station, bring pride and attention to District 5 and to all of Elmira.

Given what the mayor stated about the fire station and the way he dealt with it, however, we should not be surprised that he also claims that it would cost too much to repair the BPP building. No one, including him, really knows the cost, either to fully restore pool and building or to rehabilitate only the building. In 2010 the engineering firm hired by the city to assess its state gave an estimate of $1.6 million for repairs. That cost would be higher today, of course, but is it not worth finding out? We know that our city allocates funds in ways that are often mysterious, unjustifiable, and wasteful, like the $2 million of the Covid relief grant it used to replace the sprinkler system at the city’s golf course. I ask you: how much does the sprinkler project benefit the city, the entire city? Can it claim to bring anywhere near the value of what would accrue to Elmira and Elmirans by rehabilitating and using the Maxwell Place fire station or the BPP building? And by the way, they don’t grow back.

Historic preservation brings great value to communities: spiritual, economic, aesthetic, and cities and small towns in the U.S. that have recognized this truth are thriving. They know that these structures have character and charm, that they draw our attention and give us a sense of place and beauty, that they recall our past and that they defy the architectural uglification that has plagued city- and landscapes like Elmira’s over the past 70 years. And those towns that don’t value their history simply muddle along in the suffocating mire of an unappealing, decadent status quo; in our case, it’s partly a result of the give-up mentality of ‘72.

Corning is certainly not a good example of wise planning, but when the ‘72 flood is mentioned in conversation, many people lament the loss of Elmira’s downtown and praise the wisdom of Corning in maintaining Market Street and its downtown. They recognize the charm, character and value of retaining that scenic historical streetscape. Imagine Corning without it? Would you go there? Do you want to come or live here, when Elmira’s choice, to tear down and abandon our downtown and the buildings that celebrate our past and give character to the city, still rules?

How many people have you heard say: “Elmira is a dump.” Maybe you’ve said it too. I don’t like to hear that any more than anyone. But enough people from in and around Elmira say it that we’d better take it seriously. Consider, for example, comparing the Maxwell Pl. Fire station with the fire station, city hall, etc., in Elmira Heights, now the property of the Heights Historic Society. Both these buildings were built in 1897. Drive by and do a comparison. Or ask yourselves about Elmira’s yearly loss of population, many of them young people who see few opportunities here; many others you may know, people who have been established here for years and have vested interests in our community but have moved away to greener pastures like W. Elmira or other nearby locations. Have you asked them why? Don’t these trends speak to you? Don't they say something about the failures of our governments to attend to Elmra's needs and to value its treasures?

Did you ever notice the catch phrase that used to pop up on the city’s website? It read: Honoring the past, building the future. Whenever I saw that, I thought: what a joke, what a sham. Well, it’s no longer on the webpage. I wonder if they took it down after I pointed out last year the fraud that it expressed. Actually, I think they should put it back up and be truthful. I suggest: Destroying the past, impoverishing the future.

I came to Elmira in 2000. It is my home, and I love this area and the people here. But I can say to you that little has changed in the city since I first arrived. Some things have improved, in part due to the good work, vision and taste of some local entrepreneurs who recognize the value of heritage properties. And some things are worse–the decaying houses throughout the city, for example, and the demolition of properties and their replacement by parking lots–as the city continues on its visionless, undisciplined and piecemeal uglifying and malling (pun intended) of our city, all of which has lead to an increased tax burden on all of us.

Finally, my last word is for the people of Elmira. As you all know, nationally we are embroiled in a wrestling match about making America great again. What we all need to realize, however, is this: making America great, or greater, does not start at the Texas-Mexico border. It starts locally, right here in Elmira. If we don’t show an interest in government, if we don’t value our history, if we don’t demand transparency, accountability and stewardship of our government officials, if we don’t vote, and if we don’t demand accountability of ourselves, we get what we have: waste, lack of openness, neglect, lack of imagination and vision, indifference to Elmira’s great heritage, in brief, bad government.

We all have a chance to help regenerate a magnificent city, in part by saving the properties that are the kernel of our soul and that will lead us to a grander future. If we fail to stop the mayor's destruction of our heritage, we will impoverish our future and contribute more and more to the decline of our city. Please do what you can to help this effort to save the Brand Park Pool building and the Maxwell Pl. Fire Station.

WAKE UP ELMIRA!

 

[Jim 13]

On 3/4/2024 at 12:51 PM, Chris said:

I'll try to go through and respond to some of your statements piece by piece at some point, Jim, but things are really busy here at HQ lately. In the meantime, I'll sum it up by saying I think the time to save this pool has passed. The expense of restoring it or maintaining ANY municipal pools for what, two or maybe three months out of the year, is prohibitive. 

You DO make some really good points about the old fire station on Maxwell Ave. I like your idea for that. However that's a pretty rough area, so there'd have to be an effort to clean up that neighborhood and reduce crime along with the restoration of the building. 

I'm not a city resident, and as a county taxpayer, I'm already paying out more from taxes than I'm seeing in return, especially out here in the country where any request for more law enforcement is met with being told we're a "low need" areas. My point is, I don't want to pay for any more city projects than I have to. 

That all said, I DO appreciate and understand your commitment to preservation of historical buildings in the area. 

The reason our taxes in Elmira are rising every year is incompetence, lack of vision and planning, and possibly corruption... Under Mandell, our taxes been raised to an excessively high level. We should be paying lower taxes AND taking care of the properties that give value to the city. With the current administration, however, we will continue on the parking lot/Dollar Stores decline and the malling of downtown, our population will continue to declinel, and we will continue to shuffle our feet in the sterile ashes of a dreary, ugly, and uninspiring city. We can do better, a lot better.

[KarenK 383]

44 minutes ago, Jim said:

I sent the following opinion piece to the Star-Gazette, Mar. 6. They refused to publish it:

Letter to the Star-Gazette

In 2015, when Mr. Mandell was running for mayor, he came by my house to ask for my vote. I told him that I was concerned about the state of the Maxwell Place fire station and asked for his thoughts. His reply was that the city didn’t have the money to repair it; so I suggested that he consider setting aside a certain amount of money for restoration in the city’s budget each year. I proposed $100,000. Had he done that, the city would now have more than a million dollars for such use.

Instead, as mayor he did nothing other than neglect it, like many before him, until 2020, when he and the city council gave it away for a song, a mere $1. It confirmed my suspicion that Mr. Mandell had no interest in Elmira’s past grandeur and no understanding of the value that its historical monuments bring to the city. Also, it underscored to me what I have observed in many areas since then, that what has characterized our governments for far too long is neglect and waste, a lack of devotion to duty and a lack of imagination, vision, and stewardship, the willingness to take care of the properties that belong not to these officials, but to the people of Elmira. So with these thoughts in mind, let’s turn our attention to Elmira’s history and to the Brand Park Pool and building.

One of the campaign pledges I made to Elmirans last fall was to regain the Maxwell Pl. fire station and purchase buildings used by the fire industry, for the purpose of creating a fire museum to celebrate that glorious part of Elmira’s history. Imagine what returns such a project would bring to the city? It would increase tourism, it would be a source of pride for our city and give Elmira publicity throughout the U.S. It would stimulate growth, improvement and investment throughout Elmira, and especially in the city’s 4th and 5th districts, districts that have been sadly neglected for years, and it would be a signal to the people of those districts that we care about them and to all of Elmira that we want the entire city to thrive.

The same can be said of the BPP building. Last year, I talked with lots of Elmirans about the pool. Most told me they would prefer to keep the building, even if the pool could not be included. Nearly all had no interest in a splash pool. Have you seen the small one that’s already in Brand Park? It’s rusted out and hasn’t worked for years. And the park facilities generally? Check out the rusted, vandalized playground equipment. Do you really think a new splash pad will fare any better? And how could it replace the BPP? The people who used and loved the pool spent all day there; they swam and socialized and ate there, and they stayed out of trouble. Will we get the same value or vibes from a splash pad?

Instead of making blanket decisions based not on a firm foundation but on their own biases, why doesn’t the City ask the people of Elmira if they’d like to see it rehabilitated; why don’t they investigate current costs of restoration and look into grants for restoration; and why don’t they ask the people what uses they would recommend? I can think of many possibilities for the building: summer and winter skating and other sports activities, arts programs and events, private and public venues, business gatherings, weddings and other celebrations, and on and on... The BPP building, which I like to call Elmira’s Little Roman Coliseum, is designed in a fairly rare and attractive style and is of historic interest. It would also bring tourism to the city, give Elmira another odd, beautiful and useful gem to show off, and, like the Maxwell Pl. Fire station, bring pride and attention to District 5 and to all of Elmira.

Given what the mayor stated about the fire station and the way he dealt with it, however, we should not be surprised that he also claims that it would cost too much to repair the BPP building. No one, including him, really knows the cost, either to fully restore pool and building or to rehabilitate only the building. In 2010 the engineering firm hired by the city to assess its state gave an estimate of $1.6 million for repairs. That cost would be higher today, of course, but is it not worth finding out? We know that our city allocates funds in ways that are often mysterious, unjustifiable, and wasteful, like the $2 million of the Covid relief grant it used to replace the sprinkler system at the city’s golf course. I ask you: how much does the sprinkler project benefit the city, the entire city? Can it claim to bring anywhere near the value of what would accrue to Elmira and Elmirans by rehabilitating and using the Maxwell Place fire station or the BPP building? And by the way, they don’t grow back.

Historic preservation brings great value to communities: spiritual, economic, aesthetic, and cities and small towns in the U.S. that have recognized this truth are thriving. They know that these structures have character and charm, that they draw our attention and give us a sense of place and beauty, that they recall our past and that they defy the architectural uglification that has plagued city- and landscapes like Elmira’s over the past 70 years. And those towns that don’t value their history simply muddle along in the suffocating mire of an unappealing, decadent status quo; in our case, it’s partly a result of the give-up mentality of ‘72.

Corning is certainly not a good example of wise planning, but when the ‘72 flood is mentioned in conversation, many people lament the loss of Elmira’s downtown and praise the wisdom of Corning in maintaining Market Street and its downtown. They recognize the charm, character and value of retaining that scenic historical streetscape. Imagine Corning without it? Would you go there? Do you want to come or live here, when Elmira’s choice, to tear down and abandon our downtown and the buildings that celebrate our past and give character to the city, still rules?

How many people have you heard say: “Elmira is a dump.” Maybe you’ve said it too. I don’t like to hear that any more than anyone. But enough people from in and around Elmira say it that we’d better take it seriously. Consider, for example, comparing the Maxwell Pl. Fire station with the fire station, city hall, etc., in Elmira Heights, now the property of the Heights Historic Society. Both these buildings were built in 1897. Drive by and do a comparison. Or ask yourselves about Elmira’s yearly loss of population, many of them young people who see few opportunities here; many others you may know, people who have been established here for years and have vested interests in our community but have moved away to greener pastures like W. Elmira or other nearby locations. Have you asked them why? Don’t these trends speak to you? Don't they say something about the failures of our governments to attend to Elmra's needs and to value its treasures?

Did you ever notice the catch phrase that used to pop up on the city’s website? It read: Honoring the past, building the future. Whenever I saw that, I thought: what a joke, what a sham. Well, it’s no longer on the webpage. I wonder if they took it down after I pointed out last year the fraud that it expressed. Actually, I think they should put it back up and be truthful. I suggest: Destroying the past, impoverishing the future.

I came to Elmira in 2000. It is my home, and I love this area and the people here. But I can say to you that little has changed in the city since I first arrived. Some things have improved, in part due to the good work, vision and taste of some local entrepreneurs who recognize the value of heritage properties. And some things are worse–the decaying houses throughout the city, for example, and the demolition of properties and their replacement by parking lots–as the city continues on its visionless, undisciplined and piecemeal uglifying and malling (pun intended) of our city, all of which has lead to an increased tax burden on all of us.

Finally, my last word is for the people of Elmira. As you all know, nationally we are embroiled in a wrestling match about making America great again. What we all need to realize, however, is this: making America great, or greater, does not start at the Texas-Mexico border. It starts locally, right here in Elmira. If we don’t show an interest in government, if we don’t value our history, if we don’t demand transparency, accountability and stewardship of our government officials, if we don’t vote, and if we don’t demand accountability of ourselves, we get what we have: waste, lack of openness, neglect, lack of imagination and vision, indifference to Elmira’s great heritage, in brief, bad government.

We all have a chance to help regenerate a magnificent city, in part by saving the properties that are the kernel of our soul and that will lead us to a grander future. If we fail to stop the mayor's destruction of our heritage, we will impoverish our future and contribute more and more to the decline of our city. Please do what you can to help this effort to save the Brand Park Pool building and the Maxwell Pl. Fire Station.

WAKE UP ELMIRA!

 

Isn't there a maximum word count for publishing an opinion piece?   

Anyway, the Star Gazette is published in Binghamton.  I don't think they care at all about Elmira.  The only thing I ever see is sports or articles that are a week later than all the other news sources that already posted them.

[Chris 2,162]

Looks like it's gonna be gone soon.

[KarenK 383]

4 hours ago, Chris said:

Looks like it's gonna be gone soon.

I am beyond sick of hearing about it honestly.