Dear Council Presidents Bartkovich and Smith:
Possible relocation of the Wicomico County Library was discussed on March 23 by the Board of Directors of the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress, who voted to endorse the locations in downtown Salisbury proposed by the city, rather than to favor relocation to a suburban area. Although our Congress Board is representative of all areas of Wicomico County, we concluded after ample discussion that a center city location was essential to the overall economic progress of the County, and to the welfare and advancement of all of its citizens.
Among the important factors considered by our Board members are the following:
A downtown location is vital to the present maintenance and future resurgence of Salisbury’s city center. To simply close the downtown facility would be disastrous.
A downtown location in the center of the Metro Core is essential to smart growth principles incorporated into County and State land use planning.
None of the suggested suburban locations will be as accessible to residents of both the eastern and western sectors of the County.
None of the suggested suburban locations will be accessible at all – by public transportation or foot traffic – to the segments of our County population (including students) most in need of the services which the library can provide.
Parking is readily available in center city Salisbury, while a suburban location will require paving of many acres of present open space – destroying fields or forests, and contributing also to storm water runoff, increased traffic, and related environmental ills.
Economic studies in other Maryland counties (Washington, Frederick, Carroll) and elsewhere have shown the immense economic and social impact of a new library in the revitalization of our small cities, and rebirth of downtown commerce.
We hope you will take into consideration these important factors, prompting endorsement of a downtown site by the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Cindy Pilchard, Chair
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
21 comments:
Sorry Cindy, downtown revitalization is a dead horse put a fork in it, and stop wasting money on more consultants and studies. I stopped going to the library long ago because of having to get past all the homeless people. The library deserves a fresh start in a safe area.
Just because they are homeless does not mean they are exempt from enjoying the FREE library. In fact it is one only places they are welcomed these days.
Go to barnes & noble if you don't want to deal with them.
The library should stay downtown in the Salisbury's core...moving away is a bad idea.
The Daily Times article Sunday said that a new parking garage would be necessary if a new library is built downtown. I'm sorry, but I'm not taking my kids to the library if I have to park in a downtown parking garage.
Sounds like you guys are best off staying right where you are... in the building you're in. Good idea.
I thought Mike Pretl, the environmental extremist, was the chair of the neighborhood congress. This letter has his hands all over it - calling the old mall property and the other Beaglin commercial site "open space" and referring to their development as destroying forests and fields. The old mall site was the center of retail activity in this town for years.
There Cindy goes pimping for for Ricky Boi again. You know she didn't just dream this one up. Rick, isn't it an election time and you are trying to use your power and authority to do your dirty work.
This is the second time that I have noticed a conflict of interest with Cindy Pilchard and the Neighborhood Congress.
3:37 I agree the library should stay downtown without any more money spent on it.
Joe,
Have you talked to any of the library folks on why they endorsed the Beaglin Park Drive site? I'd be interested to know. What I do know is that there are many highly respected people on that board that would only recommend something if they really thought it was the best for the community.
and WE hope YOU take into consideration that too many people oppose this project at this bad economic time, Cindy Pilchard, Chair. Just you can doesn't mean you should.
Libraries should be businesses.
Where is the city/county going to get the money to pay for this?
Oh I guess thats what all the talk about repealing the tax cap is about.
Sorry, but the tax cap is here to stay.
Cindy --
Do you realize that the library has been downtown during the decades of decline? -- it didn't save it then and it won't now.
OMG! Here we go with all the 'special people"who think they run the county/city weighting in on where the "Wicomico" County library should locate. Bet not one of them frequent the library but they want a say in where it should be. The Greater Salisbury Committee (or at least some of them) are backing Tom Becker and have sent a letter to the members to e-mail council members to have it stay downtown. This is a big joke.GSC let your membership weight in on it and take a vote. Isn't that why they pay their $2800 + membership dues? Bet you'll find a lot of them don't agree with it staying downtown. How about it?
I don't think we need a new library. With that said, if and when there is one built, do not build it downtown. This neighborhood congress does not speak for me. There are a lot of people in Wicomico county that think they know wht is best for the rest of us, and it makes me sick. Why would you build any building downtown that would need a parking garage. That would double the price of the project. The public doesn't want to go downtown anymore. They want convenience, and easy free parking. The citizens out in the county are tired of hearing about saving downtown Salisbury. It's dead, bury it.
wicomico county gave me furlough days, but are trying to buy a parking lot, build a library that should be history. We cannot expect to fund the county keeps spending like money grows on trees.
Wrong. Wrong and still wrong. Libraries are not necessary. Civic centers, and their overpriced parking lots, are not necessary. Parks, ballfields, trails, sports programs, zoos, dances, tourism centers, and public transportation are not necessary. Yes, they are nice, but ask any one over 75 yoa if they are necessary. I know this economy is about to get bad, (no, it hasn't hit bottem yet) so we had better learn priorities.
what is the obsession with downtown and that dirty river for that matter its as picturesque as a wide ditch
If downtown isn't restored, Salisbury will continue to be the souless collection of disconnected suburbs it is today.
A downtown Library is part of the program. The river, the streets, the stores and the attitudes have to be changed.
You don't have to come downtown but if you care at all about Salisbury, you should come downtown.
Typically most downtown areas in towns all across the US are doing very well and serve as great focal point for the town. Salisbury, for some reason has group mentality that it will never work and its not worth saving.
The area is not the problem, its the people who pull the strings.
The Wicomico Neighborhood Congress is a joke. I need not say anything else.
let go of nostalgic notions if it at all mattered the downtown would have never fallen apart the people spoke when they gave up on it in the first place beating this dead issue is not going to bore anyone into action
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