Save Travis Gym
I noticed in the paper a plea by Paula Hatfield to save the old Travis gym from demolition.
She made two good arguments for keeping the building.
One is that we need it as a community gym, both for our older and younger members.
When the elementary schools are torn down, there will be that many less places for Little Dribblers to practice.
The one huge gym at the new elementary school will be insufficient.
The second argument is that we need to preserve our history.
History is what gives us a sense of community.
How many Snyderites have played ball in that old gym?
Even if they have moved away from here, they have a certain attachment to the building.
It gives one a sense of connectedness to Snyder.
That goes for the elementary schools.
I know many people who attended West Elementary who felt a sense of loss when it was destroyed.
I am not saying that we could have avoided tearing it down.
I am just saying that it affected people.
The Travis gym is another story altogether.
It is still a functioning building supplying the needs of our town.
It is an historic building.
Why should we tear it down?
Snyder needs its old buildings to retain its identity.
We have a movement going to save the Santa Fe Depot.
This also needs to be supported.
The depot can be a tourist attraction, but more importantly it reminds us of our history and contributes to pride in our community.
It is even sad to some that the West Texas State Bank tore down the 1950' s facade for their drive-in.
Back to the Travis gym.
The ultimate power to save the gym is the SISD school board.
I am sure that if approached in a non-confrontational manner, they would listen to all reasonable arguments and then make their decision.
Snyder is in the midst of a booming economy.
Times are good.
Let’s not forget how we got here and preserve our history and our architectural treasures.
And let’s keep the things that make for a good quality of life in a small community.
She made two good arguments for keeping the building.
One is that we need it as a community gym, both for our older and younger members.
When the elementary schools are torn down, there will be that many less places for Little Dribblers to practice.
The one huge gym at the new elementary school will be insufficient.
The second argument is that we need to preserve our history.
History is what gives us a sense of community.
How many Snyderites have played ball in that old gym?
Even if they have moved away from here, they have a certain attachment to the building.
It gives one a sense of connectedness to Snyder.
That goes for the elementary schools.
I know many people who attended West Elementary who felt a sense of loss when it was destroyed.
I am not saying that we could have avoided tearing it down.
I am just saying that it affected people.
The Travis gym is another story altogether.
It is still a functioning building supplying the needs of our town.
It is an historic building.
Why should we tear it down?
Snyder needs its old buildings to retain its identity.
We have a movement going to save the Santa Fe Depot.
This also needs to be supported.
The depot can be a tourist attraction, but more importantly it reminds us of our history and contributes to pride in our community.
It is even sad to some that the West Texas State Bank tore down the 1950' s facade for their drive-in.
Back to the Travis gym.
The ultimate power to save the gym is the SISD school board.
I am sure that if approached in a non-confrontational manner, they would listen to all reasonable arguments and then make their decision.
Snyder is in the midst of a booming economy.
Times are good.
Let’s not forget how we got here and preserve our history and our architectural treasures.
And let’s keep the things that make for a good quality of life in a small community.
posted by SnyderTexas.net at 1:28 PM
37 Comments:
Will the school want to do the upkeep on the gym? Will it replace the roof when needed, replace pipes and plumbing? It is very expensive to keep these old buildings. We all have memories, but time moves on and we have to move with it or get left behind.
I have just moved here in the last few years and I like Snyder, but I think the town needs to have more to do.
These are valid concerns about the gym, but at some point in time our community has to consider the quality of life issue.
Our small town is competing for new business and labor.
Opportunities for one's children is a valid concern for people living here and moving here.
Sports activities are important to many children.
A shortage of gyms makes running quality sports programs a problem.
We need to do all we can to enhance the quality of life in Snyder.
Second, some people don't see the value of retaining our heritage, but I think it is very important for the self image of a community and am all in favor of retaining our historical buildings.
I say we need the gym. As far as upkeep, if it is good for the community we should be able to work it out among government entities.
Let's keep our good old buildings.
The history argument is kind of abstract but I think there is some merit in it.
Are you planning on paying for the upkeep, too? Are you going to get fundraisers started to do this or are you going to do it out of your own pocket? The school knows it is not a good investment and so does the county and the city. None of these entities have surplus money. That is why the school has tried to give it away.
The taxpayers are tapped out. Local businesses are constantly bombarded from organizations trying to raise funds for something or the other. The school board is elected to make this decision and they have all of the facts. It is real easy to have these warm and fuzzy ideas but cold hard cash is harder to come by.
I think you still have to look at the big picture of what is best for the community.
A lot of people gripe when tax money goes to something they are not interested it, but get all up in arms when something they want is done away with.
If the gym is done away with the Little Dribblers program will suffer greatly because there will be a major gym shortage.
This is a program that serves 500 boys and girls.
It is important for the quality of life in Snyder and for the future success of our high school basketball teams.
The gym is often in use 5 or even 6 days a week.
I would be very much in favor of using our tax money for something that is benefiting the community to this extent.
Tax money should be to provide for the public good of the community. Of course, there have to be limits. And one person's good might not hold interest for another person.
But I think wholesome healthy facilities for our kids is one of the most important things that I want my tax money to go toward.
It is important to keep our historical buildings, especially when they are being used.
A sense of pride in what we have accomplished is essential to a vibrant community.
We have just had a letter to the editor complaining about skate boarders.
We need as many activities as possible for our kids.
We need to open a swimming pool as well as keep keep Travis gym.
I think our tax collecting entities need to work with the community to provide the best possible facilities and quality of life.
Quality of life is a big issue with bringing businesses and keeping our young people here.
We can look for excuses not to do things or we can look for ways to work together
I'm for watching our tax money but I'm also for seeing Snyder prosper.
I'm for working something out on the gym.
Historical buildings have importance. How cool is it that we have a building built by the WPA! This gym can be used as a learning tool, field trip to show an actual building by these hard working men. We need the gym space as well. We can make this work for everyone.
I have no strong feelings one way or another, but I think it's overstating things to say a youth basketball program is vital to the quality of life for Snyder.
Oh, and Little Dribblers is important to future highs chool basketball teams? Who cares? A good HS basketball team isn't going to be a determining factor in relocating industry.
Maybe if Snyder parents put more interest in academics and less interest in sports, we could progress as a community instead of staring misty eyed at our greatness from 50 years ago.
Buy your kid a backboard and put it up in the driveway.
Seeing parents live vicariously through their children's sporting events -- a favorite pastime in Snyder -- is sad.
This community will never move forward until its citizens stop living in the past -- culturally and personally.
Just because one's kids play Little Dribblers doesn't mean they are living through them, although I am sure that in some cases it happens.
Little dribblers is a fun activity that kids enjoy and it certainly contributes to the quality of life in Snyder.
Just because a person enjoys playing sports doesn't mean they do or should neglect academics.
A well rounded person needs both mental and physical activity.
We certainly don't need to live in the past.
That is why we need facilities in Snyder for our community to use.
Supplying them is in fact looking toward the future.
Wanting to save a historical building which will provide gym space for numerous activities for the community IS looking to the future.
Remember, the programs that this gym is used for is not a school program. It is a program for the kids of scurry county and just like the little baseball and softball fields. This should be a county building. But the big question is are we tax payers willing to raise taxes to pay for it's upkeep. I say yes. But what about you......Stand up or Shut up!
Why do some people want to give all the old buildings like this to the County? The County has its fair share of things to take care of as is. This building is the school's and they have the problem, not the County. The school should not try to solve their problem by giving the problem to the County. Maybe they could do a fair trade....let's see the County will take the gym if the School will take the Sr. Center, or the Coliseum. Now thats a deal!
My taxes are too high already. Tear it down. Let the ones who want it put their money on the table.
I just moved here,but my huband was raised here.We were wanting our children to go to the same school as he did and now it's getting tore down this summer.The one on 27th and J.The Travis Gym is right next to my house.Its important to the kids and the elderly.It's close so the elderly an exersice there. I hope the city will spare these to buildings and keep up the buildings so our kids still as part of our history left.
Does it make more sense to save the elementary gyms and tear down Travis gym? They are in better shape.
I certainly don't want to pay another cent in tax to save a broken down building that is out of code.
There's a reason no one wants it.
The private citizens who want to save the building should put their money where their mouths are, pool it, and buy the gym.
I don't see how wanting to "save" a "historical" building, one that is completely outdated, leaks like crazy and will require a major renovation as looking to the future. Sounds more like trying to salvage some semblance of the past.
There are always some whose main concern is simply not to pay more taxes unless what the tax money buys affects them.
But tax money is gathered from the community for the community and there are some things that can only be done with tax money.
I think facilities which affect the quality of life of many in the community is one very good use for tax money.
Little Dribblers is such a program. It affects many families and kids in Snyder.
Quality of life affects our ability to get new people and businesses.
For many reasons I say SAVE TRAVIS GYM. Our community will be better off for it.
Our children learn of recycling in our schools yet when it comes to practicing what they teach, the schools fall short. Recycle, reuse, and refurbish.
Are we still discussing this gym? I thought maybe it had fallen down by now. The school system needs to tighten their belt and maintain it and stop trying to give it away to other entities so we can move on to something else.
Tear it down already! There is not enough money in this town to fund all of the goofy ideas that people can come up with. The old jail should be the next thing to go. It is historic but it is not usable for anything, a drain on the tax dollars and unsightly. It is time for some people to grow up.
I don't think it's a "goofy" idea to want our youth to have facilities for healthy sports activities and I don't think saving historic buildings to keep our heritage alive is a "goofy" idea either.
No, what's goofy is claiming that a dilapidated structure built 70 years ago is vital to the future of Snyder.
Speaking of bringing money into our community, now on the table with the commissioners and county judge is the idea of squeezing out the high school softball teams from cates fields. A few soreheads that don't understand that not too long from now their daughters will be in high school, are pushing this issue. I'm quite sure they're not going to like where their daughter will have to play in the future, but this will also affect businesses when there is no longer a high school tournament or playoff games coming in each year, bringing in BIG $$$$ to businesses,motels. So if you are a business leader or concerned fan let your commissioners and judge hear about it. By the way these same people don't realize it but this will also affect baseball programs as well.. Another note on this The School District pays field usage each year, while the other organizations at this time DO NOT!!!!!
I hope someone is still out there wanting to keep Travis Gym. Haven't heard from your group in a while. Yes we need to keep all our programs for youth alive NOW and for the FUTURE.
Have you heard the county has let another good one slip away. The Park Foreman has stepped aside. This was a great loss to not only the ball fields but also to the park. They had a guy that cared about the entire park, and had the knowledge to care for it as well. But yet we still have one at a large building that won't let outside entities rent for playoff games... Hello, but doesn't that bring in outside revenue into the community???? Sounds like the county let the wrong person slip away!!!!!!!!!!
Yes there are those still out here trying to Save Travis Gym. We have not given up!!!!!
we do need to keep travis gym and travis field but not for jr high football, use the field for pee wee football and move the jr high games to tuesday night and let these boys use tiger stadium. it is insane and a disgrace to host jr high football at travis field, they cant even use the fieldhouse, come on snyder wake up and use the ticket money on tiger stadium and let the jr high use tiger stadium on tuesday night. while I am on the school issue, why in the world does the jr high not have cheerleaders? I heard it was because Mrs. Starnes stopped it when her daughter did not make the squad. If that is true she should be over that. I also think they need to move where the jr high kids sit @ home games,and get the men teachers to control them, it is soooooo true that our 3 women principles can not handle these kids. they spend most of the game gossiping and being rude.It is time the jr. high gets a man principle. I am a woman and do not think they have the jr. high under control.
yeah why do we not have cheerleaders at the jr high? and why do the jr high boys not get to use tiger field? maybe the school board needs to talk about that and move jr high games to Tuesday so as not to conflict with freshman and jv on thursday night. Most all other towns play all games at one field. What is up with the dwindling number of kids in band @ high school.. Do we need anew band director , thats what it looks like, they have played the same music for how many years now?
why r there no cheerleaders @ jr high ? And why don't our tigers have astro turf? I heard that the little school in trent got a new stadium with astro turf, why not our school? any one care to comment?
Too many school administrators with FAT SALARIES. Nothin left for "astro turf" or a new scoreboard. Pockets get lined FIRST in this town and the needs of the community are down the list.
The citizens need to make it happen or vote in the right people to make it happen. Some of our school board members, and council members have been in office to long.
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