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Why Hose Tower Matters

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Why the Hose Tower Matters Let me get it out right up front. I am long-time member of the Greendale Historical Society’s board of directors. However, I am not writing this on behalf of the Society. It is simply what I believe. So, let’s get to it. On Thursday, at an event for major donors to the Hose Tower project, I had the opportunity to see first-hand the (finally) completed renovations at the historic building. It was a significant, cross-generational community event. The moment I walked through the doors, it felt like a big step forward for the Village. I encourage you to see the building for yourself on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. The Hose Tower is more than just an old building. Buildings can have meanings. Important buildings are symbols. Buildings can reflect values. The renovated…show more content…
Think hundreds. As Ted Mainella eloquently said this week, the reinvention of the Hose Tower was literally a hand-made community project with real people touching every aspect of the renovation — down to screwing in the lightbulbs. Only school board insider and GreendaleNOW troll Jason Patzfahl managed to bash the project days before the community grand opening when he posted to the Historical Society’s Facebook page on October 20, “$700,000+ of tax payer $ and donations so the Historical Society can coffee clutch and spread rumors in style.” His post has since been deleted. I think people want a sense of living and working in someplace, not just anyplace. Personally, I’m not interested in living in a town that is a sad hodgepodge of cookie-cutter housing tracts, cluttered commercial strips and bleak or non-existent downtowns. I believe that Greendale must preserve its historic center ... in order to save its soul. This week, the supporters of the Hose Tower project gave the residents and families of Greendale a big gift in the form of a new community gathering place. It is now up to the community to decide how they want to use
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