To the editor:
I am submitting a petition TO THE CITY OF ATHENS OHIO where signatures of supporters were collected casually; no concerted effort was made, nobody stood on a corner or knocked on doors. It was noted that most of those who signed were unaware that a meaningful and perhaps drastic change to the character and image of the city they love, and call “hometown” was being made sadly without much, or any outreach asking for community input.
Residents of Athens City and surrounding communities have long taken pride in their community’s rich history of brick buildings and brick streets and brick manufacturing history. The city of Athens is tied to the brick heritage and the sense of place that it fosters as suggested by events like Bounty on the Bricks, Boogie on the Bricks, Brick City Records, key chains, coffee cups, cup holders, and numerous souvenir items featuring brick patters and logo, and by signs on Ohio University’s Athens Campus imploring students, “PLEASE DO NOT STEAL THE PAVING BLOCKS, our bricks are over a century old and are not souvenirs. They are part of your campus and the community and replacing them is costly and time consuming—Thank You!” And by the sheer fact that the brick streets of the designated “historic district” have been in service for over a century, from the canal era to the landing on the Moon and beyond. Residents, students, and visitors alike treasure the Athens Blocks and their rich history.
On behalf of those who signed the petition, we will let the petition speak for itself. Over the past several months concerns were raised, by me and others, making presentations to the mayor, the city planner, the president of city council, and to the ADA Advocacy and Compliance Committee. Despite these efforts by ordinary citizens, the result was that no open discussion transpired nor was any encouraged; the concerns were either ignored, dismissed and/or marginalized, which suggests a “done deal” was in the works by the administration and being sanctioned by city council.
We question, how was the decision to replace clay brick pavers with stamped concrete made? What research was done? What alternatives were considered? What have other brick towns and cities done? What experts were consulted? Was the business and professional community consulted? Were aspects of the community’s reputation and character, the interest in tourism, historical pride, and aesthetic beauty discussed openly with the public? Was the work of hundreds of citizens who participated in developing the Athens 2040 Comprehensive Plan being ignored? That plan solicited input from thousands of residents. The final draft of the plan, incorporating community input states, “Preserving existing brick streets: Our brick streets add historic charm to the city and help calm traffic. Some older paves streets in Athens have original brick pavers in the subsurface layers and can be restore as well.”
The City of Athens Ohio, Record of Resolutions, R-4-90, dated June 4, 1990, states that the brick streets designated by an accompanying MAP directs the City Service / Safety Director to “oversee and enforce a policy that would maintain and preserve the bricks streets and alleys in the paths designate in the attached map.” Are such efforts by former administrations and citizens also being ignored, dismissed and/or marginalized?
In the process of doing our own research, we sought out other municipalities who have been faced with similar circumstances. And as you might expect a lot of information and photos are available by Google Search. Other communities have been confronted with the same issues concerning brick and ADA compliance. It was easy to find that on Main Street in Lancaster and on High Street in downtown Columbus clay brick pavers are the preferred method of constructing ADA compliant crosswalks, and they are beautifully done, and are the pride of their street and road departments, as they should be. And too, with a great deal of pride, the Columbus Street and Road Department were all too happy to share their specifications and drawings for “how to” design and construct brick street intersections and crosswalks that meet ADA compliance and are durable enough to withstand constant heavy city traffic of cars, trucks, and busses. And like I said, they are beautiful!
However, there was little notice or uproar from city officials when the County Commissioners OKed the concrete paving of the alley that separates the courthouse from the annex, stating it was “county land”, not city land, and they could do whatever they wanted despite any city resolution—some kind of neighbor they are. One more compromise, one more done deal, one more chipping away at “The Essence of Athens, A Strategic Design Plan of Economic Enhancement and Community Competitiveness,” a book produced by the City of Athens in 2014 to “promote key elements that make the City of Athens to be considered a wonderful, interesting, and rare place and we want to ensure that it continue to be so.” The elements of brick and brick photographs pervade this book.
The intersection at the end of Court Street in front of the Armory, is stamped concrete, done a few years ago; in my view it is an ugly disaster. It adds nothing of value to the city. On the other hand, at the other end of Court Street is the new brick pavement in front of Ohio University’s New Baker Center; it is beautifully done and from what I can tell, is ADA compliant.
In closing I suggest two things to those who are curious, involved, concerned, connected, who want to know, and who live within the county make a visit to downtown Columbus and the near neighborhoods were new brick intersection and crosswalk construction has taken place, especially within the past 10 years and see for yourselves just how beautiful clay brick pavement can be. Take some photos for show and tell.
You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone!
With respect to all,
Tim Traxler
