Why Preserve?

[adl...@mindspring.com]

A good question posted earlier on this NG. I recently had to think
about this concerning some local properties. I realized, after
speaking with a teacher, that children have little concept of life in
previous generations unless they can see or touch something from the
past. Architecture, lifestyles reflected in housing, old swimming
pools and gyms, old train depots, all fill those see & feel gaps.

A recent involvement with developing a Rails-to-Trails ISTEA Project
on the site of a 100-year-old local railroad, made me realize how much
one can imagine when riding down the same path a passenger in the
defunct railroad would have traveled 100 years ago. The restoration
of an old depot alongside that trail not only provides a rest stop in
the 1917 design, but also provides a museum to display actual
artifacts. "It's true son, folks didn't have cars back then. They
rode the train ..." This is teaching. One reason for preservation.

Would like to hear others.

Arnold

[Nitrobeer]

>after speaking with a teacher, that children have little concept of life in
previous generations unless they can see or touch something from the past.

Good point Arnold, I agree 100%

>A recent involvement with developing a Rails-to-Trails ISTEA Project

How has this project been coming along? Has the ISTEA incentives been worth
it?

Later,

Nate G from Detroit

[adl...@mindspring.com]

nitr...@aol.com (Nitrobeer) wrote:
--->>A recent involvement with developing a Rails-to-Trails ISTEA Project
--->>How has this project been coming along? Has the ISTEA incentives been worth
--->>t?

Hi Nate!

Yes ... sigh ... it was worth it, but the process has been going on
for nearly three years! Much red tape, mostly from State Dept of
Trans. The ISTEA Grants are administered by state DOT's and by
individuals who seem to be more concerned with paperwork and
*detailed* specs than with the projects at hand. Yet, it is an 80%
grant, without which we could never have seriously considered building
this trail. Our trail will be 7 miles of paved bike/hike/roller blade
trail. We think of it as a "linear park". Our town has less than
10,000 people, so this is a big deal for us.

Arnold