Home | Back

VIEWPOINT: New life for a landmark Innovative approach could preserve 'old' Ravenna High

Share_print Print Story    |    Comments    |   

November 20, 2009

By Mike Tontimonia

Ravenna Board of Education

Imagine this; a vibrant building complex that features recreational opportunities for young and old, a community theater, government offices and services, senior activities, and the list goes on and on since we are simply imagining. The complex is a mix of old and not so old, with an aged heart under its original arches plus additions of more contemporary design and material. And this imaginary place has what every realtor covets: Location, location, location.

Maybe it doesn't have to be an imaginary place.

Maybe, just maybe, there is someone with the vision and ability to fit the pieces of a leadership puzzle together, a person or group that could bring a new purpose and a second life to the soon-to-be-empty Ravenna High School.

Indeed, an individual could do this, probably a person with proven experience as a developer. Just as a political entity could.But times are tough, budgets are tight and even the best of deals and the brightest of opportunities are seldom presented at the right time. That's why the new owners of the high school building will be persons with vision, patience and confidence in the future of their community or communities.

It could be that this unique opportunity to stake claim to the old school building is the ideal time for several area leaders to come together, a consolidation of needs and resources, a bold and seldom seen effort to benefit the citizens of the area rather than just those on one side of a boundary line.

Could it be that the county could benefit from some of the space along with one or more townships and a city, too? Or will a single developer seize the opportunity? Or will one of Ravenna's landmarks become a just a memory for several generations of township and city graduates?

Several communities that have built new educational facilities have demolished their old buildings. That's an understandable action given the cost and liability of keeping an unused building for no good reason, something that few school districts can afford to do.

But many old and well built buildings have been given new purpose as retail, office, and recreational centers. Others have been purchased and are undergoing renovation as future assisted living and senior housing centers. Given the high school design consisting of three separated buildings it could be that three new owners with three separate visions could be the best resolution.

There is no clear-cut answer at this time but the Ravenna School District administration and Board of Education members are open to discussion and serious, responsible proposals.

The community of Ravenna deserves the new high school. The wait of years is down to a handful of months until we will celebrate the opening of our newest community asset. That means the old building is going to empty in the fall of 2010, just months from now. Will it be that only the echoes of the past will remain in her empty halls or will there be buzz of a new life, a renewed purpose?

It can happen. Look back just three years when a group of ordinary citizens accomplished an extraordinary task when they took it upon themselves to build a presumably unaffordable community playground. Something for the kids and certainly an asset for Ravenna, they said.They had the vision, the drive and the determination. Now children come from far and wide to play at the playground.

That was then. This is now.

Opportunity knocks. Is anyone listening?

---

Mike Tontimonia is president of the Ravenna Board of Education.




Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed. Recordpub.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.

Login above or Register to comment.
 0 Total Comments Home | Back