The city should focus more on maintaining roads and buildings.
Pools, roads and buildings... oh my.
In the 25 years since I have lived in Athens, I have seen many changes and some things that have never changed. With regards to the pool, please look at Westerville's indoor facility and PASSport concept. It makes no sense to compare the university facility to the city facility. They serve a different community just as WellWorks and the city rec center do.
Tennis courts have long languished in this city. When I came here, there were two large free university locations. Now, those are gone and you must pay to play or nothing. The city courts are totally in shambles. Tear them out, raise the land to match rec center elevation and rebuild them onsite. No need to move them elsewhere.
Some major roads in Athens have never been resurfaced in my memory including Stimson and far East State Street, 682 (from U.S. 33 to Richland). US 33 through Athens is stuck in the 1970s, primarily the section from Stimson over the hill to Columbus Road, having never been properly maintained and only patched (same holes over and over) for decades. Many overpasses never painted, lights rusted, signs not lit and general decay do not scream 'excellence.'
Why not paint the overpasses with OHIO colors and add words/phrases? Murals? Add a second left turn lane coming off U.S. 33 at the State Street exit (by Bob Evans), so the exiting traffic doesn't back up the hill (dangerous). There is room and other locations do it just fine.
Likewise, add a second right turn lane by Applebee's for the same reason. Beyond U.S. 33, why doesn't Athens have a portable asphalt roller? It is weird in 2016 to see a large pickup truck slowly moving along State Street with a group of workers using just shovels to patch a hugely important artery. The end result looks janky and feels bumpy. Why should Walmart's parking lot repairs be better than State Street?
With regards to buildings, how ironic it is that so much effort is being put into saving some thin Union Street facade and yet not even a block away, a grand old building, PSAC, on the Historical Registry no less, with great potential, is slated to be turned into a grass square. Many buildings have already successfully been re-purposed (i.e... either massively gutted and/or remade) including old Baker, Grover, Tupper, WUSOC, McCracken, Bentley, Gordy, old Woolworth, The Ridges and more.
To not even consider renovation (via a professional consultation study) does not seem to follow a long tradition of preservation. Athens in general needs to better connect with its past and preserve/highlight/celebrate what built this region including salt, bricks, coal, the Hocking Canal, the railroads, local businesses (McBee) and not just university, student rentals, sports facilities and bars. Soapbox off. We can do better.
Jeffrey Harmison is an Athens resident.
