Obvious Immediate Needs
The Library roof has leaked for 40 years. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent to fix it only to have those fixes last for a few years. A recent forensic inspection discovered flaws in the original construction in both the foundation of the structure and the steel beams used in the construction in 1972 & deemed repairs impossible. Library staff drapes tarps over book shelves and places dozens of buckets around the Library every time it rains. After 50 years of service, the Library needs to be torn down and replaced.
In the 1990’s, the old Rt 66 Texaco Station on the NE corner of Amelia and Alosta (now Rt 66) was sold and was going to be torn down. The City took this opportunity to move the old building to the Public Works Yard as a temporary structure until something could be built. It was a metal building originally built in the 1950’s that served travelers along Rt 66 for years and It’s still in use today. There was never funding for a replacement.
City Hall was built in 1922. It serves as a historic representation of the City, but it was never designed to house as many offices as it does now. No one imagined the technical needs of the 21st Century. A walk through of City Hall will exhibit technology wires along the ceilings on the surface of the walls. The phone lines are a constant concern due to the inability to do proper upgrades and you always find at least one bathroom out of service due to plumbing issues.
The current offices at the Transportation Yard were originally constructed as a garage/storage unit, but has been converted to offices. Currently if you visit the offices you will find nice modern offices inside of what use to be a storage shed. City staff has done a great job renovating the building and keeping it in good shape to meet the needs of the community. However, a shed was never designed to last 70 years. Recently it was discovered to be still on septic.
The tarp on the roof at City Hall has become fodder of many jokes. The issue is that as additions were added on to the original historic City Hall, there were flaws in the way new structures were attached to the older structures leaving construction oddities that cause constant issues. Because the leaks are so unpredictable, staff have found it easier to maintain the tarps rather than take a chance on leaks doing damage to equipment and furnishings.
The La Fetra Center is an amazing asset to Glendora and the original La Fetra home is a beautiful structure and serves the community well. The annex that was added in the 1980’s was unfortunately done using sub par materials for the day. This has caused some long term issues especially to the siding that was used. As attractive as shingle siding can be, a certain quality of shingles as well as the design and construction of the sub structure in order to ensure longevity. Unfortunately, the annex was built within the budget confines at the time and is in need of many structural upgrades.
A walk through our parks is enough evidence as to the condition of many of the structures. None as bad as Big Dalton where we find structures that have been abandoned for years due to the safety factor of allowing public use. The old stone house near the entrance of the park and the Girl Scout Hut are prime examples of structures that could be used for the benefit of the residents of Glendora but year after year, budget constraints delay any meaningful improvements.
