Library turned down, again, and, oh yes, Framingham sucks
(WARNING: There is some very explicit language below. Natickites not need read.)
The Library people got one last shot at constructing the proposed McAuliffe library in Saxonville. And as I expected, it was turned down. The vote was 83-50 something, with 90 needed to pass. 7 votes short.
I know that this issue has absolutely nothing to do with retail, but it just shows the idiots who run this town. Yeah, we've got George King, who spends his time wasting town money and playing strip poker, but we've also got a bunch of lazy-asses in the Town Meeting who have apparently never seen a library. I loved how people claimed that the downtown library was "state-of-the-art". Red panelled walls, awful design that provides no link between the children's section and the rest of the library, a musty odor, and everything lousy other than MOST of the service and the literature available. Who the hell would call a library "state-of-the-art" when it was built in 1977?
Don't want to use the "state-of-the-art" library? You can use the almost-state-of-the-art McAuliffe Branch Library, in Saxonville. Built in the 50's and added on in the mid-80's, this place is a time warp. The McAuliffe branch is equipped with such features as 3 computers, a roof that badly needs to be replaced, and extensive overcrowding of books. There's no program room like the
The building is horrible when compared to other fabulous libraries such as the ones in Ashland, Natick, Sudbury and Wellesley. Turning down the Saxonville library would be just fine if the main library was recently constructed, or at least modern inside. Why does Framingham, the largest community in MetroWest, have the two worst libraries in MetroWest. I'd easily trade both libraries in Framingham that was any good.
Many think that this issue should have gone out to the voters, much like the Framingham High School renovation. I guarantee you, had this happened, the library would have passed overwhelmingly on the Northside and would have failed miserably on the Southside. And the problem is that more people live on the Southside (so many that nobody actually knows), so the library would not have a chance in hell of being built.
Ever remember this article? It was in the MWDN when the library was first going through Town Meeting. It was written by a person who cannot possibly live in Framingham, who does not have a clue what a library branch is, and has no idea of convenience. I mean, saying that relocating the branch library to the Callahan Senior Center would be " more convenient to more people than a northside branch". Who would it be more convenient to? People who live inside the Danforth Museum who find it too hard to cross a street? And laughing off the north vs. south "rivalry"? This person is either a confused devotee to the southside or has never been to Framingham.
If I said I lived in Framingham to any group of people living in an adjacent town, I'd get laughed off. This town has the worst reputation of any place I've ever been to. Check out the census data for the Northside and the Southside. The Northside is almost 90% white? And the Southside is almost 20% Hispanic? Now, even I did not know that, and I live here. So obviously, nobody lving anywhere else would suppose that these two communies not only border each other, but are in fact the same! It's two different towns smashed into one, and linked only by the means of the "Bra Bridge".
Additionally, Framingham does not have the slightest clue on how to manage town-owned buildings. The town blew it all on Framingham High School's much-needed-but-very-pricey renovation. But Framingham High School wouldn't have been as bad as it was if Framingham North High School and Framingham South High School were still separated, as it would not be as overcrowded as it is today. And although their merger was to bring the town closer together, then why is the school so separated on the inside? And why did the town close Cameron Middle School in the late 80's if they were going to open Fuller Middle School in the former Framingham South High School only a few years later? And why did the town close Juniper Hill Elementary School a few years ago when they are now experiencing overcrowding all over due to it's closure? AND WHY THE F**K IS THE TOWN NOT BUILDING A NEW SAXONVILLE LIBRARY?
As I had said, Framingham has a terrible reputation. But it wouldn't if we would start fixing up the crap that is here. Like, say, actually investing in the town for a change and building a new library, reopening Juniper Hill, fixing up all of the town's eyesores. Then, what the hell, let's just split the place in two, officially.
On a more positive note, the two libraries are so lousy here, I think I'll start going to the Wellesley library. I'm out there frequently, and I've heard pretty good things about it from others who go there. Perhaps scaring people out of the Framingham libraries will force the town to fix them. In fact, the Wellesley library looks kind of like the proposed Saxonville library. And when they tell me that they have never seen a Framingham library card before, I'll tell them how this town just plain sucks.
The Library people got one last shot at constructing the proposed McAuliffe library in Saxonville. And as I expected, it was turned down. The vote was 83-50 something, with 90 needed to pass. 7 votes short.
I know that this issue has absolutely nothing to do with retail, but it just shows the idiots who run this town. Yeah, we've got George King, who spends his time wasting town money and playing strip poker, but we've also got a bunch of lazy-asses in the Town Meeting who have apparently never seen a library. I loved how people claimed that the downtown library was "state-of-the-art". Red panelled walls, awful design that provides no link between the children's section and the rest of the library, a musty odor, and everything lousy other than MOST of the service and the literature available. Who the hell would call a library "state-of-the-art" when it was built in 1977?
Don't want to use the "state-of-the-art" library? You can use the almost-state-of-the-art McAuliffe Branch Library, in Saxonville. Built in the 50's and added on in the mid-80's, this place is a time warp. The McAuliffe branch is equipped with such features as 3 computers, a roof that badly needs to be replaced, and extensive overcrowding of books. There's no program room like the
The building is horrible when compared to other fabulous libraries such as the ones in Ashland, Natick, Sudbury and Wellesley. Turning down the Saxonville library would be just fine if the main library was recently constructed, or at least modern inside. Why does Framingham, the largest community in MetroWest, have the two worst libraries in MetroWest. I'd easily trade both libraries in Framingham that was any good.
Many think that this issue should have gone out to the voters, much like the Framingham High School renovation. I guarantee you, had this happened, the library would have passed overwhelmingly on the Northside and would have failed miserably on the Southside. And the problem is that more people live on the Southside (so many that nobody actually knows), so the library would not have a chance in hell of being built.
Ever remember this article? It was in the MWDN when the library was first going through Town Meeting. It was written by a person who cannot possibly live in Framingham, who does not have a clue what a library branch is, and has no idea of convenience. I mean, saying that relocating the branch library to the Callahan Senior Center would be " more convenient to more people than a northside branch". Who would it be more convenient to? People who live inside the Danforth Museum who find it too hard to cross a street? And laughing off the north vs. south "rivalry"? This person is either a confused devotee to the southside or has never been to Framingham.
If I said I lived in Framingham to any group of people living in an adjacent town, I'd get laughed off. This town has the worst reputation of any place I've ever been to. Check out the census data for the Northside and the Southside. The Northside is almost 90% white? And the Southside is almost 20% Hispanic? Now, even I did not know that, and I live here. So obviously, nobody lving anywhere else would suppose that these two communies not only border each other, but are in fact the same! It's two different towns smashed into one, and linked only by the means of the "Bra Bridge".
Additionally, Framingham does not have the slightest clue on how to manage town-owned buildings. The town blew it all on Framingham High School's much-needed-but-very-pricey renovation. But Framingham High School wouldn't have been as bad as it was if Framingham North High School and Framingham South High School were still separated, as it would not be as overcrowded as it is today. And although their merger was to bring the town closer together, then why is the school so separated on the inside? And why did the town close Cameron Middle School in the late 80's if they were going to open Fuller Middle School in the former Framingham South High School only a few years later? And why did the town close Juniper Hill Elementary School a few years ago when they are now experiencing overcrowding all over due to it's closure? AND WHY THE F**K IS THE TOWN NOT BUILDING A NEW SAXONVILLE LIBRARY?
As I had said, Framingham has a terrible reputation. But it wouldn't if we would start fixing up the crap that is here. Like, say, actually investing in the town for a change and building a new library, reopening Juniper Hill, fixing up all of the town's eyesores. Then, what the hell, let's just split the place in two, officially.
On a more positive note, the two libraries are so lousy here, I think I'll start going to the Wellesley library. I'm out there frequently, and I've heard pretty good things about it from others who go there. Perhaps scaring people out of the Framingham libraries will force the town to fix them. In fact, the Wellesley library looks kind of like the proposed Saxonville library. And when they tell me that they have never seen a Framingham library card before, I'll tell them how this town just plain sucks.
posted by Justin at
11:14 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Great Article,
as a former resident of framingham I really enjoyed reading it. I left Framingham a long time ago we lived on the South side and where part of the "white flight" I can remember when Framingham still had Penny's, Gilchrist, woolworth, lerners? downtown, it is sad to see Framingham now, My Grandfather was even a member of the Old Odd Fellows Lodge (IOOF) on Hollis Street in Downtown, any way the article was fun to read.
From a Framingham expat
By
Anonymous, at 12:10 PM
framingham is in the process of becomeing a SHIThole thanks to all the HACKS
By
Anonymous, at 4:44 AM
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