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One soda fountain ... to go Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Is it junk or historic memorabilia? This long-retired refrigeration unit from a soda fountain donated to the city of Central Point - now smack-dab in the middle of City Hall's lobby - is the point of a growing confrontation within city government. Debate stirs Central Point: 'Attractive nuisance' or 'treasure' By JILL BRISKEY Nobody's sure what to call the 50-year-old Kelvinator refrigeration unit in the lobby of Central Point's City Hall. The police department called the hulking white appliance, formerly used to serve ice cream and toppings, an "attractive nuisance" when it jokingly issued a citation to the planning director. The planning director, who dropped off the unit last week, called it a historic piece of memorabilia that may tie into the city's downtown revitalization plan. The city's former mayor, who bought the item from the Old Center Cafe in 2000 and later donated it to the city, called the soda fountain a treasure that should remain on display. One city employee who didn't want to be named called the thing an eyesore. Planning Director Tom Humphrey said the Kelvinator still works, but he has no idea what the council plans to do with it. Tentative plans include donating it to a pharmacy for use, display or storage in Station 7 8, a center that School District 6 uses as an alternative school. "I don't know what it's significance is, or the dates it was used," Humphrey admitted. "If some important people ate ice cream out of it, it could have some significance." While officials contemplate the fate of the appliance, police Chief Mike Sweeny said good-natured ribbing, or "Good Humor," has cropped up since its appearance. After the surprise delivery of the refrigeration unit Friday afternoon, Sweeny issued a civil citation to Humphrey on Tuesday along with a copy of the city's junk ordinance. "It does qualify as an attractive nuisance. We don't want a child to crawl in there," Sweeny said. "Our goal was to educate and obtain voluntary compliance." Later that day, a sign apparently disparaging the chief was discovered on the Kelvinator. The citation may have started as a joke, but if the Kelvinator remains in City Hall it will be enforced. "That would be showing preferential treatment," Sweeny said. "We can't fix a ticket." The refrigeration unit was used by the first Old Center Cafe roughly 50 years ago, Humphrey said. Countless Central Point residents ordered ice cream drinks at the cafe that were made with the appliance, including retired Scenic Middle School Principal Harvey Tonn. "It was the only place to hang out in Central Point in those days," Tonn, 64, recalled. Tonn said he hopes the Kelvinator will stay. "Those are kind of unique. There's not many of those around anymore." The ownership of the cafe changed hands several times, and the Kelvinator was moved into storage behind the restaurant. Former Central Point mayor and resident Jack Snook - now of West Linn - discovered it last year. Snook, a Crater High School graduate who used to order orange-flavored ice cream drinks at the cafe, bought the fountain and donated it to the city this year. "I would hate to see Central Point lose that. Every kid who went to Crater High School had a relationship with it," Snook said. "It's something people can enjoy, even years from now." Humphrey urges longtime residents who know anything about the historic piece to contact him and pass along their knowledge. "It just seems like it would be nice to revive some of Central Point's history," Humphrey said. "In some people's eyes, yes, it's junk, but its not that bad." Snook said he's glad the Kelvinator is back on display, and he hopes it stays in public view a while longer. "I think they should let it sit there for a while, be a conversation piece," Snook said. "Let it liven up City Hall." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.