Fence could be used for sign repairs at Oakland cemetery

With the Stanley depot still standing but fenced off and open to the elements after the tornado of December 15 last, public works operator-in-charge John Hoel updated the Council on what’s ahead, along with possible use of the depot fence to do sign repair at the cemetery.

“I have spoken with several residents of the city regarding what is happening with the depot,” public works operator- in-charge John Hoel wrote the Council in his February 3 report. “Since demolition is about the only option, due to the extent of the damage, what will happen with that site once the building is removed? He asked, then giving one option.

“A great idea that was brought up would be to put a bathroom in Soo Line park along with the gravel parking lot,” he said. “If these items were added to the park, it would help eliminate some parking congestion on First Avenue and Emery Street. It would also provide the necessary parking for the splash pad that the SCA (Stanley Community Association) is looking to have installed. This could be a huge draw to the downtown area.”

Representative of the Stanley Community Association ap- peared before the Council briefly earlier last year to see if the City would be interested in the SCA doing a splash pad at one of the city parks, receiving a go-ahead for further research into the matter. As to the fence and other parts of the presumptively unrepairable depot, Hoel shared a possible way to take old parts and give them new purpose.

“With the impending demolition of the depot we will be salvaging the sections of the fence on the east and west side of the depot,” Hoel wrote the Stanley Council in his bi-monthly report for February 3. “Once the building has been removed we will install matching chain link fence to replace the fencing and area where the building was located.” But while the depot isn’t salvageable there is a silver lining—repair of the cemetery sign closed off with yellow tape due to disrepair prior to the tornado.

“Since the sign at the cemetery is in such disrepair we would like to use some of the fencing to build a new sign at the cemetery,” he said. “This would involve some design input from the

December 15 tornado, with final word still out on things to come. Photo by Joseph Back. DEPOT REPORT

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Catholic Church along with the cemetery committee, but by using this fencing and pouring a concrete slab ourselves we would be at a huge cost savings on this project,” he said.

Stay tuned as the depot saga continues, down at the south end of Emery Street near Soo Line Park.