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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels October 14, 2004 Ground Zero in Ashland By Leah Ireland Ashland In case you didn't get to visit Ground Zero in New York, we have one here right on Granite Street. It could be a future warning of what not to do to the most beautiful street in a small historic town where mere time and human life have been blessed and with an invaluable tranquility. Though created by a different kind of terrorism, this evaporation of everything above and below ground is equally destructive to environment, community, neighborhood, and whatever local spirit Ashlanders have left. This lovely large lot on Granite's second block has been so ravaged, obliterated, destroyed, all construction should stop, cinder block and cement removed, rich soils replaced, native trees planted, as a memorial to what just one megalomaniac developer can destroy. Not a tree, scrub, blade of grass, song bird, squirrel, raccoon, old orchard tree, native plant, is left, below ground all mineral build up, natural water systems, echo-systems, below ground critters, root systems, and worms, gone, gone with the din of bulldozers to a depth of about 30 feet. We won't mention the stress, danger, inconvenience, and actual threats to neighbors where this gaping hole goes right to their property line. This slash and burn technique of building is the opposite of some community builders, who actually enhance Ashland's style and heritage with lovely new buildings that look like they have always been here. This is all for a house to sell for profit that looks like it has a ten-car garage and bomb shelter so far. How this project could make money is curious, for over two years dozens of workmen, trucks, bulldozers, have been busily coming and going, the whole street blocked off for the super trucks sometimes, and yet no building! Couldn't this have been done in East Medford where such excess is appreciated? This giant house, hotel, high-rise, mega mansion, whatever it is, is just another testament of those who come to this community because it is so cute only to destroy it with giant ego-ugly houses. Couldn't they just build human-scale houses, and put a big sign in front that says, "I'm really rich" on the front? Don't they know that for every square inch of unused space in their mega-barns, hundreds of thousands go homeless throughout the world and thousands here in the good old USA? Don't they know they should be embarrassed to have so much when others have so little? Please get-rich giant developers, build your empires somewhere else. Don't desecrate Ashland's lovely neighborhood, trees, and wildlife. Some of these trees watched native Indians gather, covered wagons and Model T's assemble at the park, and are a testament to the redwoods that used to run all the way downtown. Nature and community are too slowly and painstakingly created for you to destroy overnight. Our old homes have a glory and life all their own, and if they are too small for your big dreams build where no home has been built before. Follow the example of builders who are building new communities on a human scale with parks, and creeks running though them. It doesn't matter if you've lived in Ashland two hundred years or two weeks, if you appreciate the spirit of the place. Hasn't enough of the world been destroyed for money? Does everything have to be owned? Aren't there some things that can't be demolished and resold for profit? Won't our government keep doing exactly the same thing to other countries if we allow that in our neighborhoods here at home? Leah Ireland is a former columnist of the Ashland Daily Tidings and long-time Ashland resident and enthusiastic muckraker. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams