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Years back, we had a local man create tree sculptures from our dead trees in the parks. The Optimist Club donated these baseball themed ones.
Years back when I was a very young girl, I went to the American Legion pool. I went there very few times, maybe 5 or so times. The thing with pools is they stop being useful at some point and then you have a mess. I desire that one day we will get this pool and old Legion building removed and create a Veteran's Plaza on this parkland!!! A girl can dream, right?
I bet these thieves were a bit disappointed to open a bag of Easter basket grass.
Posted at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
11 . 07 . 2017 is what I like to call our opportunity to create a change of historical value for the community of Plainview TX. It has been many years since we, the voters, have had an opportunity to create the changes we desire for the future of our city. Someone has done it for us and now, we get the opportunity to pay it forward.
The posters were put out in the community and are visible on social media with the dates of opportunities for groups and community times to become educated on what we will find on the ballot.
This level of voting is where we the people have a voice to see change.
Each of the six capital improvement projects we will vote on will be voted on individually, not as a package.
This process of getting the projects to us to vote on began in 2012, and as you will see below, after much thought, many years and meetings, a group of community-minded individuals, along with community input, is presenting six capital improvement projects derived from the City of Plainview Comprehensive Plan, to us the voters.
Proposition A/24th Street Reconstruction
Proposition B/City Hall/Police department
Proposition C/Fire Station No. 2 Relocation
Proposition D/16th Street Pool Reconstruction
Proposition E/Downtown Improvements
Proposition F/Ball Field Improvements/Broadway & Regional Parks
I have attached the brochure that the Citizen Advisory Committee shares at civic and community education & awareness gatherings. The next community forum is Wednesday, September 27, James Hearn Center at 6 PM.
There will be a Facebook Live event on Thursday, November 2, 7 PM.
Both of these opportunities will allow question and answer times for us. If you are unable to attend and have a question you would like answered, you may ask it on the Facebook event page: Citizen Advisory Committee and the Bond Election Propositions
Now, I want to personally speak to each issue from my heart and how I view the needs.
Proposition A/24th Street Reconstruction...If you have driven 24th Street then you know they should charge for the ride. It is so bumpy, and in some places, I feel like I'm driving up the slanted drive to the slanted house! Some have said that not enough people use the road to warrant the improvements necessary. Or, that there are not enough businesses on 24th street to spend the money. I say, look at 34th street in Lubbock and how our 24th is similar in deterioration. There were not many businesses there because the road was in such bad shape. Now, 34th is booming. Our 24th can boom, too!
Proposition B/City Hall/Police department...It has been a desire of mine for many years to see a newly renovated building for our PD. If you have not visited the PD before, I suggest you call and get a tour. The facility is antiquated and, I believe, a danger to our officers and staff. The police department has definitely outgrown their space, as has city management. The city has been gifted the Centennial Bank building, and all services from health to finance will be housed in one easy access location to better accommodate the community. The PD will then move into the completely renovated Police Department in the "city hall" building. The current PD building will be used for document housing.
Proposition C/Fire Station No. 2 Relocation...I sketched a little diagram of how our city fire coverage should be.
Fire station coverage should have some overlap yet cover the entire community within the circled areas. Plainview basically has three fire stations in the bottom two circles. We must add a northern ring of coverage so that response time is appropriate for all citizens and businesses.
Proposition D/16th Street Pool Reconstruction...Have you been to the 16th Street pool in the last few years? It is starving for help and barely kicking. It is the one area that I have gotten the most cries for help from the community. The idea of a new and bigger pool, with slides and a splash pad, excites me tremendously! I really wanted a full Olympic size pool, but sometimes you have to give to get what is best overall for the community.
Proposition E/Downtown Improvements...I think this may be the most misunderstood proposition or the least clear to voters.
Downtown, the traditional business centers of our communities, have survived many changes throughout the last century. Once thriving retail and civic centers, they were adversely affected by changes in mobility, retail patterns, and shopping habits. Since the 1960's downtowns have seen serious competition from suburban shopping centers, malls, commercial strip areas, major discount centers, online and catalog sales.
Despite these changes, downtowns still play a central role in our cities today. They are the centers of our urbanized areas and still reflect the economic core and image of our cities. A healthy downtown is often synonymous with a healthy community.
Downtowns are special places. They reflect a community's values. They provide a sense of place. Promoting the revitalization of downtown, the heart of the community has never been more critical.
A crucial safety improvement is proposed for the Main Street area of downtown Plainview along Broadway from 5th to 8th Streets and on Ash from 5th to 6th Streets.
You’ve probably heard about bulb-outs. Also known as curb extensions, bulb-outs align the curb with the parking lane to increase the visibility of people on the sidewalk and to reduce the distance to cross the street. “Bulb-out” is an umbrella term that can include gateways to neighborhood streets, mid-block street narrowing.
But why are we recommending them?
Bulb-outs slow down traffic. Curb extensions decrease the width of streets and can serve as a visual cue for people who drive that they are entering our Main Street designated area. This helps people to slow down and become more aware of their surroundings, especially when turning.
Increased visibility of people on sidewalks: Extending the sidewalk further into the street increases the visibility of people on the sidewalk and crossing the street.
Decreasing crossing distances: Bulb-outs reduce the distance needed to cross, which creates more time for signal changes that prioritize people walking. Along with traffic signal timing that gives people walking a head start, bulb-outs can be a big improvement to the visibility and safety of people crossing streets.
Providing more shared public space: More room on the sidewalk allows more room for neighborhood amenities like benches, drinking fountains, bike parking, trees and rain gardens — all great ways to beautify the area.
As a volunteer with the Plainview Downtown Association, I am passionate about keeping the blood pumping into the heart of Plainview, our historic Main Street area. We see growth through this vision of change.
Proposition F/Ball Field Improvements/Broadway & Regional Parks...Cosmetic improvements to these ball fields will make our parks more user-friendly and be more accommodating.
They say, "Build it and they will come," and it is our desire that all six propositions will get a "YES" vote. Then, in time and through grant opportunities we will be enhance and continue to improve our city for those who call it home.
Posted at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Before daybreak in the city, there are many on our roads. Each Wednesday as I travel across town to help with the delivery of the Snack Pak 4 Kids bags, I see others heading to and from home and work. It is a most beautiful time of day. I wonder how many realize this? We live such fast-paced lives!
One of the great dark sky things to see is our neon signage.
Posted at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
The concrete jungle off of Highway 194 & NW Canyon Street is getting cleaned up. I am not sure when or how this area became a dumping location for broken up concrete and all sorts of debris. All I know is that it did not come from High Plains Concrete, its next door neighbor. Maybe when they built 84 Lumber, they excavated dirt from this side property to build up their location? I'm not sure, if they allowed construction dumping there or if it was someone before 84 Lumber existed. All I know is that there is a clean-up going on near the new Industrial Park area.
There have been many trailer loads taken out. Still more to go. One day the property will be business usable! It is currently owned, and I'm not sure their intention but it is looking great!
Posted at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)