The Following story appeared in the Aiken Standard today. Though I have been a critic and believe the City will incur even more costs before the complex is finished I feel we must all support the completion of this project. Hopefully it will prove to be an asset to the City rather than another financial burden.
Railroad Depot will break ground at ceremony Friday
By APRIL BAILEY
Staff writer
Organizers and Friends of the Aiken Railroad Depot will hold a groundbreaking to prepare for construction on the depot building on Friday. The event will be held at the future site of the Railroad Depot, at the corner of Park Avenue and Union Street. The event is scheduled to kick off a little after 9 a.m.
The ceremony will coincide with the beginning of the Aiken's Makin' festival. All Aboard members will march to the site from Newberry Street, led by the Aiken High School ROTC Color Guard and the USC Aiken Pep Band.
All Aboard Campaign chairman Tim Simmons, Mayor Fred Cavanaugh, Aiken County Council chairman Ronnie Young and Washington Group President Preston Rahe Jr. are slated to speak at the groundbreaking.
The ceremony comes after nine years of planning for the depot project, according to a release from the organization. Construction for the depot building is expected to take about nine to 10 months, with its grand opening set for next year.
The building will be designed to replicate the original railway station, built in the1800s. The first floor of the two-and-a-half story depot will serve as the tourism office for the City of Aiken, as well as a meeting space. The second floor will house several train exhibits of Aiken's railroad history, with models that will depict life along the railroad from Charleston to Aiken to the Savannah River.
For a little more than a year, workers have been restoring vintage railroad cars, which will be located next to the depot. The cars will serve as a space for parties and catered events. A baggage building, which will include a kitchen, will also be constructed at the site. Construction on the railroad cars, depot and baggage buildings, loading platform, site work and groups is expected to cost $2.4 million. Organizers say that the entire project will cost $3 million.
Supporters of the project say once it's complete, the depot will help stimulate growth at Park Avenue and Union Street, with Gyles Park the site of future concerts and festivals.
You will wind up growing government even further in Aiken with this "asset". Sooner or later, the proponents will want to put a new staff person in there to be sure to rent it out and promote Aiken Tourism or whatever other boondogles City Hall can conjure up. You did add a staff person (Aiken city employee funded with tax dollars) to promote and rent out the Washington Corp Playhouse corporate welfare center didn't you? This city has money coming out of its ears but spending it in all the wrong places. Fix the potholes, roads and water and sewer lines first then waste time on feel good projects that promote the ego of wade Brodie and company later.
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