Letter To The Editor: Save The Roundhouse Still On Wood River Ballot, Citizens Should Vote

At the City Council Meeting on Tuesday Night, September 8, the City Council passed a resolution on the Roundhouse stating, “The City has no current plans to demolish the Community Building, commonly known as the “Roundhouse” as long as said building is structurally sound and provides a vital use to the overall community”.

Tom Stalcup, Councilman, wanted to table this resolution for further discussion but Mayor Maguire ignored him and pushed it through with little discussion. The Mayor continues to say they never intended to demolish the historic Roundhouse. Meeting minutes and FOIA’ed city documents tell a different story. The City Council had a Work Sessions Meeting on December 10, 2019, in which was stated by the Park & Recreation Director that the Roundhouse was going to be torn down and that there was no alternate plan B to keep this building.

Earlier this year, the city submitted a PARC GRANT application that was personally signed by the mayor and several other city officials. This application that she signed included pictures and plans for the “existing Roundhouse to be Removed”. Tuesday’s resolution that she pushed through with little discussion gave the city the right to tear down the historic Roundhouse after the new recreation center is built.

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Now they just need a hand-picked structural engineer to say it’s not safe to use! Once it’s deemed “not safe” they can then easily say it does not supply a vital use to the overall community! This resolution was a way for the city council to placate us so they can get what they want! SAVE THE ROUNDHOUSE will still be on the ballot on November 3rd for a vote. If the citizens want this building saved you need to vote.

Mary Roberts

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