The vote by The Planning Commission was limited to, very simply: where within the park should said facilities be located. There seemed to be no “ideal” location, but based on access to water and sewage and other constraints the curent “staked” area was judged to be the best alternative. Based on this issue alone I voted for the current location.

My personal opinion, and separate from The Planning Commission, is that toilet facilities in the park is a solution awaiting a problem. I think they will add very little value. And, oh by the way, to the nice people of Citizens for Central Park: in the interest of park sanitation please use your considerable influence to lobby for enforcement to penalize those disgusting people who refuse to clean up after their dogs in the beautiful park that you all worked so hard to create.

There’s simply nowhere for the water to go. Witness a really good rain and what happens at such intersections as Monroe and Plum.

French drains in the park might help. But, I’m no engineer and the scale at which such drains would have to be built would be fairly cost prohibitive, I suppose. But such solutions should definitely be explored!

I love the park. It’s a great space to toss a frisbee or kick a soccer ball with the kids. But if the ‘skeeters are a-biting, it can be downright miserable!

A building built in the 1980’s is historic in the sense that it is of the past. The definition of “historic” from the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “dating from or preserved from a past time or culture “. In other words, a 1980’s pump station is of a “past time”, thus historic. One could certainly argue the degree to which it is historic, as compared to other such structures in the district. But, it is of a past time, for certain, thus historic — if you take the Merriam-Webster definition at face value.

Point being, at what point do we determine something is historic? Antique? Old? Pretty? Ugly? These are all subjective questions that elicit varying answers based on one’s perspective.

Hopefully, our historic district guidelines have a tighter definition than Merriam-Webster

Just playing devils advocate here. Really not taking one side or the other.

Good question, Bruce. You’ll find answers in the Cape Charles Historic District Guidelines and the Historic District Overlay to the town’s zoning ordinance. The Overlay defines the historic district as roughly bounded by Bay Avenue to the west, Mason Avenue to the south, Fig Street to the east, and Washington Avenue to the north. Within that area are 529 “contributing structures” and 38 “noncontributing structures.” If the sewer pump station is a “contributing structure” I will eat my hat! — GEORGE