With the Memorial Auditorium down they are gunning next for the Skyway. Zut alors! I like the Skyway. That is a picture of the Skyway above. The picture was taken in the 1950s. That is how historic the Skyway is!
The Skyway has not changed very much except zut alors again, they replaced those see-through railings with big cement guardrails it is more difficult to see over.
Still, when I went on Forgotten Buffalo's Lackawanna Tour (motto: "You're Gonna Wanna/Go To Lackawanna") we went over the Skyway and I was able to take this immortal picture from the bus.
That is not a view most of the world gets to see every day and we are lucky to have it.
I do not know what it is but in Buffalo the people in charge fail to recognize the value of the assets we have. Someone stands to make a ton of money for knocking these things down, is all I can think sometimes. Because these things are built so well and are holding up so beautifully and it takes a year or something to knock them down. That is a big contract and a lot of money!
The Aud was built so well that it got excruciating near the end, seeing all the work it was to tear it apart. People do not build things like that any more. If anything goes up in its place -- a big if -- it will not be of such quality, that is for sure.
But in the case of the Skyway reason may yet prevail. Someone made a proposal that we call in some artist who works with lights and have that artist light it up.
That is a sensible proposal, I say!
Look at the Peace Bridge!
Can not we all just relax and stop knocking things down? There was one time I was repainting my back breakfast room with my friend Peggy. We were putting up this yellow paint and something about it was not looking good.
And Peggy made a suggestion.
She said: "I think we should stop and have a glass of wine and think about this."
That is a good strategy and could be applied to the Skyway.
But there is good news on the historic preservation front.
Remember when I wrote about the Lord Amherst and how Leonard Pennario used to stay there and they should put up a plaque? Thanks to the miracles of the Internet, I have heard from someone who says she knows the owner. She graciously asked if I would like her to ask the owner to put up a plaque.
That's an easy question.
Sure!
4 comments:
I concur, demolishing will only set us back further. A little contemplation might make for more of a "Show." Let's spend a little money and thought on that instead of studying contemplating covering part of the 33 like Sen. Thompson wants to do.
It is not only Buffalo! Sometimes I wish I was not so old for I remember such better days that I even hate to go out anymore!
When my high school class turned 50, I did a story for the on-line alumni site on what else started in 1955. The Skyway was on the list, joining such diverse items as Brylin hospital, McDonald's, the microwave oven, Disneyland, Kermit the Frog, and Gumby.
Larry, your honesty kills me! Michael, there is never a shortage of wacky plans in Buffalo, that is for sure.
Budd, 1955 was a good year for Leonard Pennario too! That was the year he recorded Ravel's "La Valse." First pianist ever to do that!
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