Seems change is in the air for Fillmore. People want change. Ten years ago, people wanted change too. They wanted more parks and recreational opportunities, better school facilities. They wanted a functioning community pool.
Yes, change can be awfully slow. Progress, it seems, takes patience and perseverance. What we want today may and often does take some time to achieve. Let's look at what we have going for us today in Fillmore.
The new pool: The closure of the high school pool in 2000 was a shame. The old pool could not be salvaged, so city leaders came up with a plan to finance the construction of the new facility as long as voters were willing to foot the bill for annual maintenance. After three tries on the ballot, voters got behind the plan. The city and school district partnered to develop plans for the new aquatic facility. Thanks to voters who saw the value of this to the community, and thanks to city and school leaders, we will be enjoying the new pool and tennis facility in early 2009.
The C Street park: City leaders negotiated with the developer of the Heritage Valley Park plan to provide an annual funding source to help pay for maintaining the new park. This new park, now under construction, will provide the additional playing fields our youth and adult sports leagues desperately need. It will have triple the amount of playing fields compared to what we now have at Shiells Park. In addition, our kids will finally get the long-awaited skateboard park.
Change takes patience and perseverance. Positive change takes leadership and vision.
Fillmore needs positive leaders like Steve Conaway, who understands the right way to change and the right way to move ahead. Vote to re-elect Steve Conaway for Fillmore City Council.
-- Cindy Blatt, Fillmore