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June 02, 2006
WHAT THE CITY HAS REPLACED WITH OUR DOWNTOWN PLAZA IS A "BUNCH OF BUNK"
As the 4 million dollar plus reconstruction of the Downtown Plaza proceeded, I dubbed it the “Downtown Disney Land Plaza.� It was such a departure from the original concept of the plaza which included many trees and green space to balance our hot summers and adding to its usefulness for a variety of other activities. Watching the project unfold, in the past several weeks, my new name for the project is *Downtown Mausoleum Plaza�
After several years of study by the Park Commission and City Council, a plan was developed to remove the “old elms� that were diseased or were in a stage of advanced rotting and deterioration. The City embarked on the plan of removal and a replanting program that was well underway when some planners and architects talked the City into abandoning the plan that was well underway, and then substituted the new plan that is now under construction.
If the City was so flush with money, they could have used the 4 million plus on many other deserving projects throughout the City.
I have had to rename the project “The Downtown Mausoleum Plaza�. Just look at all those concrete monuments (the band shell and the toilets building), concrete walls, other concrete things and the new quantity of asphalt. I’ve come to the conclusion that the designer must be working for the American society of asphalt and concrete--I can’t think of any other reason for such a display of asphalt and concrete. I’m told that the project received a great deal of support since the project included public toilets—using the portable toilets worked very well for many of the programs that attracted a large number of participants and they will still be needed for many of the Plaza events.
Certainly, the project may receive some sort of Planners and Architects Awards, but it just doesn’t fit into Downtown Chico. I still wonder why the City hasn’t replaced the landscaping and windows (that have probably deteriorated because of neglect) for the Municipal Building, across the street from the Plaza. I know the excuse is that the City intends to remodel the interior of the building—good idea to keep it for City use and perhaps for a Downtown Police Facility, but no reason for neglecting the exterior of the Municipal Building.
Posted by at June 2, 2006 06:48 AM
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