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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories The Beanery coffeehouse closes abruptly Ashland fire torches woodshed, greenhouse 10 things to know for Thursday Welcome Center plans can proceed Principal Zundel looks to next challenge Education Principal Zundel looks to next challenge Youth Activities and Academics Levy rolls in early returns It takes a village to raise a child Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district John Muir students need help producing eighth-grade yearbook Environment Demonstrators hope to save tree Documentary 'When Giants Fall' tells tragic story of elephant poaching Mt. 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Ashland fire torches woodshed, greenhouse ... Our View: Bravo, Ashland voters ... Ticket Availability ... Ashland fire torches woodshed, greenhouse ... Our View: Bravo, Ashland voters ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Restoring the Plaza's sense of place Comment By David Sherr DailyTidings.com By David Sherr Posted May. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM By David Sherr Posted May. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News For over 18 years since first coming here in 1995, I regularly walked and drove by our old downtown Plaza, sometimes several times a day, morning, afternoon and evening. I remember the beautiful trees and old-world, almost mystical feeling of the downtown Plaza, and the very special feelings it used to evoke. I think many people here shared the same experiences, and thus there is a real sense of loss felt by each of us every time we witness what has befallen our beloved Plaza. I can't really put it into words, and I don't expect those who live outside our area, or who have moved here fairly recently, or who have never visited the old Plaza daily as many townspeople here and I have, can really grasp what the community's shared experience of our former downtown Plaza once was. For us, the Plaza was central to the Ashland experience, it established a palpable "sense of place." We deeply feel its present state is a great loss for the true look and feel of our special town. Ashland is still a wondrous place, but in many ways, it is slowly being transformed into a mini-Medford (my apologies to all Medfordites). You can kill a special place, a little bit at a time. Scientific opinion polls are impractically expensive to conduct, but the Ashland Plaza Restoration Project's registry of Facebook "likes" is similar to a straw poll, and, is certainly a strong indication of the broad level of community concerns about our Plaza. Our Facebook pages and post endorsements, as registered by "likes," now top 2,400. Many more people who are not on Facebook have expressed sympathetic views. I believe this is a strong indication that the look and feel of our Plaza is a vital issue for many who live and visit here. Every architectural designer we've talked to, and we've talked with several, has commented that the redesigned Plaza does not reflect the look and feel of our historic downtown. These people are qualified to make such judgments. The pavers are but one issue, but the overall appearance and function of the Plaza is a much bigger issue. After more than two years, the city of Ashland still has no plans to rejuvenate the Plaza into a more harmonious, community-inclusive and architecturally integrated state. An editor of the Tidings remarked recently that the Plaza improvements advocated by the Ashland Plaza Restoration Project "puts the city in an awkward position." But isn't it really the city which has put itself in an awkward position, by its very rushed and unsuccessful Plaza redo? If the city now commits any more substantial amount of public funds for Plaza improvements, it will be an admission that it "goofed" with a large amount of public funds during the initial redo. It's a bit like a catch 22 for the city. That's why I and others here feel strongly that a private funding effort is the only viable way we are going to get the funds, and the impetus, to make substantial improvements for our Plaza. The project wishes to partner with the community and with the city on projects to enhance the Plaza, in the same way Councilor Pam Marsh is teaming with private donors to raise funds for hanging baskets on the Plaza. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent each year by the city on other forms of historical renovation and preservation. The public has the same right, ability and incentive. Project members hope that as our pledge fund pool grows, the project will gain more and more support from the public, and from the city, to effect the positive changes for our downtown Plaza that many of us envision. David Sherr is a founding member of the Ashland Plaza Restoration Project. By David Sherr DailyTidings.com By David Sherr Posted May. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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