A forward here to explain the nature of the video.  This was a come and go affair not a seated gallery who posed questions to the architect.  This affair was set to run from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  In actual fact the gallery roams at will and around 5:00 p.m. all activity ceased but the architect Kyle, Gary McKellips, Pat Jurrens and myself remained until 5:30 p.m. to allow for any late comers.  For brevity of boredom, I have edited out the final half hour of no movement beyond just the videographer and three presenters.

“…We can sit on the patio/veranda at the golf course and watch the Alcester-Hudson football game…”

Now ain’t that speschal. Say isn’t there an admissions fee to games to help fund the athletic programs in the school?

I attended the pre-bid informational session with local and not-so-local contractors, electrical trades, plumbing trades, landscaping trades and of course construction trades at 2:00 p.m. in the school library. COOP Architecture was present and running the session, Alcester City Employees present were city bookkeeper Patricia Jurrens, Dale Pearson and Lonnie Johnson. Also in attendance were the funding entourage of Gary McKellips and Tom Walsh. Those attending were asked to sign in and were presented with an agenda at that time. Most already had quasi-blueprints and mechanical drawings.

There was a question-answer period in which several of the group asking for clarification on the two separate but con-joined buildings (i.e. the ‘shed’ and the ‘community event’ structure.

Later at 4:00 p.m, I attended the ‘Ask the Architect’ session in the city council room sans chairs. I planned on video-taping the session laboring under the assumption it was to be an informational meeting addressing community questions concerning the structure, financial concerns and a general opinion the city offices and council chambers should remain downtown Alcester within a gallery seating type venue.  O-O-P-S!

Sadly and disappointingly this session was anything but informational. Sure there were architectural renditions of a vision but it came very evident that,

“common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in the gardens at 308 Iowa or 410 Hidin’ in the bushes Drive”

Anyone watching the amendments to the design, the two rooms originally labeled office and conference room with a static grand total of 883 square feet of space has to think WOW! Approximately 440 square feet of space per each room where current city office rooms run slightly less, square footage-wise. However the current finance office would benefit greatly if they removed the chest deep freezer from the room.

AND SHORT-SIGHTEDLY

There is NO provision in the community center for a REAL however ad-libbed council chamber.

JUST A CHANGE IN LABELS NOT DESIGN OR DIMENSIONS.

SAMPLE COUNCIL CHAMBER

FINANCE OFFICE AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS NEED TO STAY DOWNTOWN!