How much pride?

To The Editor,

Regarding the latest article in the Beacon about an ice rink in Apponaug, I have this to say, but first a short preface.

When those exiting our wonderful airport, those folks here for the first time visiting Rhode Island, what do they see?

I'll tell you what they see, they see a road, Post Road, in terrible condition, empty businesses, empty lots, sidewalks full of weeds, general gross neglect. Even the plantings in front of the airport have been ignored.

These are conditions one doesn't see upon leaving other airports in this

country. I've been to Logan, Kennedy, Atlanta, Columbia SC, Memphis, LA,

St. Louis, Seattle, and London UK and the surrounding areas are pristine.

Such decline near airports, in major areas of a city, is just not seen. Those citizens have too much civic pride to allow that kind of decay. Why we Rhode Islanders take this neglect for granted is indicative of a high degree of malaise among our citizenry.

One can see the neglect in the new rotaries and along Memorial Boulevard in Apponaug. Weeds invading previously planted beds, centers of the rotaries a mess with neglected plantings is something you just don't see this in other cities. It's amazing what $77 million doesn't buy these

days. It certainly doesn't buy maintenance.

In last week's Beacon, there was a wonderful letter by George Gervais who summed it all up by citing various problems in Apponaug. What? And now another ice rink? ANOTHER ICE RINK?. Weeds galore in public plantings? No, there must be a garden club somewhere which could do the weeding, Yes? No.

And we are told with great pride that the city council has approved the building of two new high schools for $350 million. We'll see. Last time I subbed at Toll Gate, the school looked pretty good.

So, in the end, it comes down to how much pride one has in his city. At the moment, it looks like we can tolerate a lot of decay and not think twice about it, but let's go for that ice rink! Oh, Let's do.

Jim Morgan
Warwick