GPD headquarters Then and Now
“I would like for the Dispatch to run a picture, which they have run in 2003, of the artist rendering of the proposed police station and next to it run a picture of the one they actually built. How about finding out what the city council actually approved for a design and who made the changes and why. They have built about the ugliest building in the world.”
Red Phone:
It seems the new Gilroy police headquarters has become the perpetual monument of blame for its costly price tag and ominous appearance. Red Phone contacted Assistant Chief Lanny Brown for comments on the redesign of the station and the council’s involvement in it.
“Everything that we’ve done has been done at the direction and full sanction of the council, it’s not like there were a bunch of secret meetings that were going on,” Brown said.
Brown agreed that the first picture was very beautiful but the price tag that came with it wasn’t. In effect, Chief Brown, the architect and the council gathered at a meeting open to the public to submit the redesign and ask for opinions and suggestions.
“It was a team effort all the way. We had to go to redesign, and we had to pull it out of the ground, which right there saved $5 million. We opened it up to community input, and we did have members of community there to give input.”
The final version, which is now standing, was presented to the council who approved it and sent it to bid. Another thing to remember is that landscaping is not yet complete.
“I think the phase it’s in right now is very raw, just like in development in this stage, but give it some time to mature, time to bud,” Brown said.
Respect the Crossing Guards
“My child is a crossing guard at one of the elementary schools. I’d just like to point out that people are taking her life, (and that of her friends), into their hands when they try to rush through the intersection to avoid waiting for her to cross someone. It scares me to death but I want her to enjoy the experience, it teaches responsibility and independence and it’s a real positive thing for her.”
Red Phone:
Caller you are right, saving seconds isn’t worth it. There is much responsibility learned in transit, your daughter is learning some by helping out as a crossing guard and the drivers around her should be executing the responsibility they took on when they were submitted a driver’s license. So let’s all bask in the responsibilities we’ve been given as drivers and good citizens when sharing the road.
