Re: So you want to be on the Board of Directors ?

While I have the floor I'll make 2 other comments:

1. I expect most of the current Friend BoD members do monitor these discussions. They don't need to make public comments, but sometimes it would be good to know they are listening.

2. I think many long time Friends members feel a bit betrayed given the apparent suggestion that it would be a good thing to build a large structure in the middle of the yard. I know I my belief was anything like this would be built in an out of the way location (I've thought the saw mill location was a good place for many years). Let's hope this agenda item is quietly withdrawn later this week.

3. I will admit that it's been many years since I spent much time in Chama, so maybe the proposed Vistor Center is too big for the proposed location. It really does need to be "above" the yard, in a location where you can clearly see the coal tipple and the depot. Jay's cameras have proved you can get a good view from the other side of the street, so maybe there is a vacant property that could be razed for the site. But I guess you need to make the front look like the original building; SHPO can't dictate since it is outside the property.

Note: The VIsitor's Center for the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park in West Virgina is outside of the historical district and a bus is available to take people into town. In my humble opinion, it does not work well. If people are driving by and have a half second to decide to stop, there is nothing compelling to help their decision process. All they see is a parking lot and a modern building. One of the primary purposes of *any* vistor's center, whether it be for Chama, Antonio, or a state line crossing, is to entice the vistor to stop and be influenced to spend more time there than they had planned. But first you need to give them a reason to stop. Then you can start the sell job on getitng them to stay a while and ride the train. No trinket shop will help that process.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2007 11:14PM by drgw0579.