The North Platform Fiasco – Adagio Molto
Useless walls and canopies, obstructive planters, and trees on the platform: The Great North Platform Disaster was shaping up to be one of the jewels in Redevelopment manager Terry Galvin’s cockeyed crown. Local landscape architect Steve Rose had outdone himself in a seeming effort to waste money and to foist comical design elements onto the public and the taxpayers of Fullerton. But, there’s more.
The historic benches on the platform were jettisoned; they were to be replaced by “street furniture” that was comprised of modernistic plastic coated wire chairs, and undersized waste receptacles, and that had nothing to do with the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the depot. It was later realized that ash trays had been omitted.
It just didn’t seem possible that the design choice could have been any more inappropriate or comical. And yet there it was, the final insult added to injury. What would the public reaction be? What would Fullerton’s City Council do? What would City staff do to put a happy face on the disaster?
You’ll find out tomorrow!
the term bric-a-brac arose during the victorian era to mock the silly, fussy, senseless menageries of low cost, tacky objects collected and arranged by persons with poor taste. from the recent posts on this site, it is obvious the history of fullerton’s redevelopment agency misguided by the fullerton city council is nothing more than bric-a-brac architecture and landscaping. fullerton city council uses blight to justify taking money from the taxpayers to further blight our town.
How old were those be benches? What happened to them?
I don’t know how old they were but they had been around a long, long time. Three were rescued and are still in front of the depot on the northside, I believe. I don’t know what happened to the rest.
The argument went that they were unfit for human occupation. Clearly that is false since 16 years later three of them are still in use. Just one more casual lie in a long string of falsehoods.
I’ve often wonder about that “furniture.” Really awful if you ask me. A complete design meltdown.
And nobody complained?
Wait until tomorrow, Duncan. All will be revealed
Those new benches look pretty darn comfortable to sit on if you ask me. The old ones should have been trashed.
In my opinion the overall design elements look successful and still work to this day – 16 years later. And that suggests that Mssrs Rose and Galvin knew exactly what they were doing!
Chamber Star, I want to ring your neck, you are really getting under my skin. I would like to meet you at the Train Station?
Matt, the word is “wring.”
I’m sorry Chamber Star 🙂 I no longer want to “wring” (thanks for the spelling correction) your neck, let’s just have a cup of coffee?
Chamber Star, you obviously work for the Chamber. Are you on the Board? You also didn’t answer Matt’s question about meeting at the Train Station.
It always makes me laugh when people writing under pseudonyms ask the identities of others who also use fake names. Let Star Star remain anonymous is that is what s/he desires, and let us stop with the intimidation. No one needs to meet anyone at the train station. Let us have a civil discussion of design aesthetics. There is plenty of unpleasantness to look upon already.
Matt Leslie, you bring up 3 good points, thanks for bringing them up, my bad.
Chamber:
Hinkle may have mellowed but I plan to beat you silly when I see you. What the hell is wrong with you appologizing for everything the city has ever done? Get with the program muchacho. The emperor has no clothes and you are at the parade acting like he’s wearing a beautiful robe.
Yep. This can only be solved with a beating.
Admin claims that this is a forum for the free exchange of ideas. Is it, or is there a “program” we all have to “get with”. I don’t care for the green wire benches either, but they aren’t particularly uncomfortable. What does that make me?
Chill, dude. Hollis is just kidding. I know him. Couldn’t punch his way out of a wet paper bag!
Hey, Matt’s just bringing some accountability to this site… I don’t think we can say there’s anything wrong with that.