I spoke at the city council meeting to congratulate the city and specifically former councilman Jocko Mahoney, who did most of the work, on restoring the fountain in Frear Park. It has not operated for about four decades and was most popular for skateboarders in recent years. Now, not only is the water flowing but it is lighted at night and looks fantastic.
I believe this type of effort is one of the keys to attracting people to our city. Allowing fountians or buildings, parks or the approach to fall into disrepair and stay that way creates a very negative impression of our city. While there is no immediate measurable economic return on investing in this type of repair, it is essential to the way people view Troy. Maintaining our public areas sends a clear signal that we take pride in our city and that we value our history and our monuments, and parks.
The approach sat in disrepair for years and was a hideous eyesore looking down on Troy. Now, the approach draws interst and impresses people. It took a community effort in conjunction with RPI to get it done, but this is what can happen when we pull people together with a common vision or goal. We are a city which can get things done and it definitely makes a difference in the way people perceive Troy.
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