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Tuesday, 04 December 2007 |
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BVSDWatch.org steering member Karyn Robinson has a reply to the Daily Camera editor regarding Mr. McCaffrey's guest opinion from this last Sunday:
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to Mr. McCaffrey's Guest Opinion from December 2nd. His idea to use Mapleton as a "living laboratory" sounds like a thinly veiled guise for him to have a prime apartment on the third floor of our historic neighborhood school.
Mr McCaffrey asks what use of the site would best honor its history and character? The community has told BVSD over and over, the answer to this question: A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. That is what this building was built for and used for nearly 120 years. With the overcrowding problems at the nearby elementary schools of Flatirons, Foothills and Whittier it is obvious there is a need for this school to be used as a school once again.
With the exception of Ms. Paxton, all of the school board members that voted to close this school nearly five years ago are no longer on the board. Clearly these closures were ill fated decisions, that left a bad taste and a lot of mistrust. It is high time to reverse these decisions.
Neighborhoods are cyclical in nature. Does anyone remember Newlands neighborhood 20 years ago? Mainly elderly and empty nesters. Now, nothing but kids, kids, kids. Mapleton is no different, take a drive around and see how many strollers, play structures, kids you see.
As for superintendent King's statement that the district needs the money from the sale of this building, didn't we, the voters, just give BVSD nearly $300 million? After the Washington debacle do they really want to go down that road of selling this property?
Mr McCaffrey's plan is to "foster lifeways that are less impactful on the planet and less stressful on our lives". I have a perfect plan that will do that too, reopen our schools and allow our children to once again walk to their neighborhood school.
Karyn Robinson Boulder, Colorado
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