Workers excavating around the Sutton Loop Park shelter for a walkway discovered that it has no foundation other than a slab of concrete. It was determined to be unsafe and last week the city council voted 4-3 not to fix it, apparently meaning the shelter would be demolished, but it was not.
The council met again Tuesday night in a work session, and after 35 minutes of discussion voted 6-1 to spend approximately $7,200 to save the shelter by adding to the foundation.
All council members and Mayor Jim White were at the meeting, though Tim Dunn was on speaker phone, calling from out of town. His vote officially did not count, per the city charter.
David Cerven said he didn’t want to throw money at something that at some point would be changed. He said he thought that there would be more than just green space in the park. Shawn Faulkingham said there is no other phase, and the pavilion has always been part of the plan.
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Mayor Jim White was for tearing down the shelter and making more green space, which is what people want, he said. He also disputed the shelter’s historic importance.
“There was no famous architect who designed this. There was no marble brought from Italy to build this thing,” he said.
Faulkingham said the shelter is reflective of Maplewood—a blue collar city. He and others referred to it being part of the fabric of Maplewood.
“From multicolored car washes to cell phone antennas on beautiful buildings on Manchester, it’s part of what makes us proud to be part of Maplewood, as ugly as it can be,” he said.
Tim Dunn said as an elected official he feels like a steward of the city.
“The citizens of Maplewood have a great love and desire for their history, for being part of some historic fabric—not some suburban subdivision,” he said. “Once you tear down that bus shelter, that’s it, it’s all over.”
Barry Greenberg said he’s studied parks, and for the most part, most have a way to protect users from excessive sun, especially young children or grand parents.
Fred Wolf said he’s lived in Maplewood all his life. He said when he goes down Sutton, “I always look at that building, and if it wasn’t there, I would be missing something.”
Cerven said he didn’t grow up here. “I came here for a reason. A lot of people came here for a reason, and it wasn’t to make green space,” he said. “It wasn’t to add another park that’s just like all the other parks. There is history there, and that’s one of the things I do love about Maplewood.”
Mayor Jim White was the only dissenting vote to spend the money to keep the shelter.
Thank you, City Council, for listening to the public and reconsidering the original decision. Good government.
Thank you….thank you….thank you……to the city council for representing your community well, and to Doug for bringing it to our attention! I’m pleased and relieved to know that a Maplewood “landmark” will remain a part of our community and serve to shelter a whole new generation.
I am so pleased that the Maplewood City Council voted to honor a piece of our rich history! My hope is that this mentality will continue to remain in the forefront as council members make decisions in the future! Beverly Tronicek
In this modern day every new park has a place to sit in the shade, and parks that get a face lift get shelters. I can’t believe they wanted to just tear it down. Where did they propose people go cool off for a few minutes? Im very glad they decided to spend the money to keep it.
Since the price has fallen steadily with the passage of time, perhaps by the time the work actually starts, it won’t cost anything! 🙂
Seriously, though, I like Doug Houser’s idea of incorporating drains around the perimeter and doing away with the funky gutters and bent downspouts. Since the apron has to be redone anyway, perhaps a suitable drainage system can be incorporated around the perimeter? Or maybe just remove the downspouts and let the water splash into gravel at the bottom…
Just a thought.
Q!
I think it would be nice if some of the historic street car photos could somehow displayed in or near the shelter to let newcomers see the shelter and appreciate its connection to history. Possibly modeled after the historic markers that are at historic battlefields. I can visualize a little boy or girl being curious and enchanted as mom explained the street cars and that they were at this very spot.
If we expose our young people to history in the right way, they will learn its value, enjoy it, and be better for it.
Soooo…. Saving the shelter is NOT a waste of money.
Thank you City Council for voting in favor the history and future of Maplewood.
Doug, I think you have a great idea. U.City had an interesting outdoor exhibit of historic photographs a year or so ago. From memory they were about 16 x 20 and printed on what looked like glass but was probably plexiglass of some sort. They were mounted in frames supported by a temporary framework of 2 x 4’s and installed as close as they could get to the spot the photographer was standing when they were taken originally. It was really cool. Like a large slide that you could see right through. It made it very easy to see how the scene had once looked. Our streetcar loop would be a perfect spot for something such as this. We’ve got the photos. How about it, money people?
Thank you City Council!!
Thank you Council for hearing the residents.
Thank you to the council for realizing that although, “There was no famous architect who designed this. There was no marble brought from Italy to build this thing,” it’s part of what makes Maplewood unique in it’s simplicity, character, history. I just imagine myself sitting under it thinking of the history it held & holds while looking at the new green space & enjoying the shelter still standing & providing shelter as always. It fits with the other historical buildings along Sutton. It IS important to preserve & protect history. Thank you again for the council reconsidering this.
Hurrah for our City Council for listening to the citizens of Maplewood! As Tim Dunn said, we want to be part of a historic fabric, not some suburban subdivision! Though the bus shelter isn’t made of imported marble, or built by a famous builder, it is part of the history of our city, and it is so important to keep that history intact. It is a piece of our fabric, our history, a part of what makes Maplewood special. Good job City Council!
Yee Ha! The best news is that we have a city council that is responsive to the wishes of the citizens. I take my hat off to the members of the council. This was extra work for you all but I know I speak for a lot of folks when I say we truly appreciate it. Now while historic preservation is fresh on your minds you may have heard there is an issue about some cabinets…
what a waste of money. if citizens really care so much they should raise the money privately.
How is $7,000 to continue to provide needed shade to residents and to preserve a landmark in Maplewood a waste of money? In my mind, it is a bargain, and I’m glad the majority of the council revisited the issue so promptly and changed their minds about the shelter’s value. The city would be hard pressed to re-create shade for that low price. Plus demolition and debris removal are not free.
I think it’s an excellent use of city funds. $7k to maintain an existing park feature is less than demo’ing the existing structure only to build a new one. I see this in use every time I go past it. Having a shade/rain shelter is a highly valuable feature for any park.
I’m very pleased with the way this turned out.