The Save Our City mentality still exists. Here’s a letter sent to the PNJ:
What will be at park, that we don’t already have?
One person recently wrote he was against the maritime park but will visit it because he is paying for it (“Vote them out,” Letters, Sept. 11). Well, I am not of that ilk. I visit places because there is something to visit, so what will this “park” contain?
We have a baseball park, if you like high-school quality baseball, that is (the Pelicans can’t even rate minor-league status). So I will keep going to Mobile and watch some good teams and to Atlanta to watch some really good teams.
Then there is the University of West Florida campus; that ought to be interesting. Nah! I already finished college and have no desire to see students with their books.
Oh yeah, a maritime museum; and Pensacola has such a famous seafaring history!
Well, then we can walk around and look at sunsets; I can do that now and don’t need to go to the “park.”
Well, maybe there might be a few good restaurants, but then again there are many fine establishments here now without going to another one at the “park.”
Well, that’s it, and for $80 million? One day we will get hit for a tax increase, but it won’t be for the “park,” however if we only still had that $80 million.
So I will see the park — when driving to Joe Patti’s.
— William C. Thuston
_________________________________
RO Note: It’s all about Willie. He’d rather go elsewhere to watch baseball. He’s already finished with schools. He ain’t interested in no maritime museum because he doesn’t know anything about the city or state’s maritime history. And we’ve got enough restaurants.
Well, the Vince Whibbs Community Maritime Park is about more than Willie Thurston and others who have (or have had) all they want in life. It’s about the future – better paying jobs, more diverse economy and more opportunity for the rest of us who aren’t satisfied with the status quo.
