Memorial Hall Plans Reviewed.

Springfield architect Jerry Hagerman reviewed the preliminary site, floor and elevation plans for a proposed $1.2 million renovation of Memorial Hall during his presentation to the Public Services Committee Monday night.

Hagerman cited improved access to the building as one of the goals of his proposed exterior changes. The south side of the building will see the most change with a new entrance at the southeast corner and a "drive up and drop" area at the southwest corner. Pedestrian access will be enhanced by a continuous walkway along the south side of the building ending at the back alley.

As proposed, the current entrance on the south side will become a service entrance only. Landscaping will be improved and a plaza area added outside the new southeast entrance. Pedestrian lighting will be added along the new walkway, and a newly resurfaced and restriped west parking lot will have improved lighting and new perimeter lighting. A new entrance in the northwest corner will allow convenient access from the parking lot for daily users of the building.

Proposed interior floor plans include a lobby museum at the new southeast entrance in the area of the current Ward Schrantz room. Combined with the existing lobby, this forms what Hagerman called a "preconvene area" for people attending events at the Hall, allowing a place to gather inside prior to an event. The first floor also includes a new catering kitchen and support area on the south side, expanded women’s restrooms on the north side, a shortened, lower stage and an elevator.

Proposed for the basement are a smaller multipurpose room and a small, residential-type kitchen. Hagerman suggested that the American Legion have use of the rooms on the south side of the basement which have access to the kitchen. The Legion would also have easy access to the multipurpose area when needed. The north side includes public restrooms and an area which may be broken down into three smaller rooms for rental purposes.

An expanded second level has been proposed which will include three rooms across the east side available for long-term leases, a large area above the stage available for lease, public restrooms, two open, multi-use areas which the architect sees as being available to the public at no charge, and three additional lease or rental areas.

Plans call for the second floor to be a very open space with new windows on the north and south sides to provide natural light. Additional windows will be added on the west side to enhance the proposed lease area above the stage.

Committee reaction to the plan was positive. Marvin Van Gilder, chair of the citizen committee which established priorities and made recommendations for the renovation, expressed concern about the loss of the Ward Schrantz room. In its place is the proposed lobby museum, and Hagerman discussed naming the area for Schrantz and having it serve the same memorial purpose as the current room.

Hagerman expects to have the final plan prepared for a proposed January 4 work session with the full City Council. If the Council secures funding and moves ahead with the renovation, Hagerman expects the project to take 12 to 14 months.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

Here's a scary thought, 17 shopping days until Christmas. 'Course that's countin' shoppin' days as the weekdays. I'm thinkin' when the tradition of countin' shoppin' days started they mighta counted Saturdays, but not Sundays. Now "shoppin' days" purty much means any days. If ya figure it that way, ya got 23 days. That sounds a lot less urgent. Shoot, that's more than three weeks.

I'm hearin' that last weekend was a busy one for shoppers. Lines waitin' on Friday mornin' for those "after Thanksgivin'" sales. Needless ta say, nobody had to wait behind me at 5 in the mornin' after Turkey Day.

It looks like the Square and local businesses are becomin' more well known as a good Christmas shoppin' spots. Carthage offers folks wantin' somethin' a little more personal and a little more relaxed.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin'.

by

Carthage Printing Services

Intro to the Internet.

Twelve percent of American adults, or an estimated 20 million people, say they have access to the Internet, according to a recent Roper Poll. While many have described the new technology as the "information superhighway." for others, the Internet is fast becoming "information RFD."

Rural American have an opportunity to tap into a vast sea of information about every topic imaginable by hooking up to the Internet. Rural small business -ranging from farmers and Ranchers, to budding entrepreneurs-are keeping in touch with the latest business know-how, watching the markets, or advertising their products.

Fact is there are thousands of sites already set up that provide information specifically geared toward rural American, and finding that information is as easy as starting with a few good web site. Communicating for Agriculture, a national nonprofit rural advocacy group offers a few of the most user-friendly sites: Communicating for Agriculture at http://cainc.org, U.S. Census of Agriculture at Http://govinfo.kerr.orst.edu/ag-stateis.html, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development at http://www.ag.iastate,edu/centers/rdev/Rural Dev.html, Progressive Farmer online at http://pathfinder.com/FP/, From Safety 4 Kids at Http://www.fs4jk.org/, and New Uses Council at http://ag.arizona.edu/OALS/NUC/NUCHome.html.

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