Save the 1917 Building

The following links are PDF files of the Galion Inquirer's front page headline stories:
11-28-07 Saving history
12-14-07 Board rejects offer of purchase of old high school; approves abatement bid
12-14-07 Prepared statement from the Galion City School District Board of Education
12-19-07 Galion School property update (and demo schedule)
            12-19-07 Letters to the editor
01-03-08 Businessman makes offer for former GHS building
            01-05-08 Letters to the editor
            01-08-08 Letter to the editor
01-10-08 Galion BOE: Just the facts
01-11-08 Galion BOE swears in members; another offer made for old buildings
01-15-08 Legal action filed against Galion school district
01-16-08 Postponed
01-17-08 Abatement to continue at old Galion High School
01-17-08 Answers provided about the new construction bonds for Galion schools
01-18-08 Plaintiffs in school lawsuit pleased with agreement
            01-19-08 Letter to the editor
01-22-08 Agreement on abatement of old Galion High School detailed
01-29-08 Legal action against board moving forward
02-01-08 Old high school property to be fenced in next week
02-20-08 Hearing concerning demolition of old GHS postponed.. again
03-01-08 Plaintiffs add motion to civil case concerning old GHS
            03-01-08 Letter to the editor
03-04-08 Both sides prepared as citizens vs.school board heads to court
03-06-08 Hearing postponed ... again
04-03-08 Case against Galion BOE to go before jury
04-05-08 A case of semantics and Bond and Plan still required by board
04-09-08 Court date set for jury trial in case against Galion board of education
04-17-08 Old Galion High School - A tale of two proposals
            04-17-08 Editorial
04-26-08 Talking past each other - Galion board, re-use committee exchange letters
05-07-08 Negotiations continue concerning former GHS
05-08-08 A lot of discussion to go before former GHS building fate resolved
05-09-08 "Tear the building down"
05-10-08 Save Our School
05-14-08 Rally to be held at old Galion High School
05-16-08 Rally 'round old Galion high
05-20-08 Barga, Friedman bringing OSFC into the mix on former GHS
            *05-24-08 Guest editorial
06-04-08 Setting a precedent    Eleventh hour reprieve from the OSFC
06-05-08 'Effective immediatly'  Galion Board of Education awards bid contract for demo
            06-06-08 Letter to the editor
06-07-08 Re-use committee issues press release
06-13-08 Ohio EPA receives notification for former GHS demolition
06-24-08 Former cemetery a concern as old GHS demo set to begin

Could this Galion's Fiber Ring story be a part of the 1917 Building's future? The rooms won't need to be wired.

The not-for-profit group, Galion Cultural and Conference Center, Inc., that has led the search for the adaptive re-use has a web site. Although not a part of the legal action, they have a copy of the Complaint posted for your information.

* Unintentionally omitted when first appeared in the Inquirer.

Previous pleas:

Dear Classmates:

As you probably know, Galion has a new high school that opened this past August. A group of citizens has been working for three years to come up with a plan for an adaptive re-use of the old Galion High School.

A feasibility study was done, funded by the Galion Historical Society and the Galion Alumni Association. The study showed the building to be sound and a number of potential uses identified. This information was presented to the Board of Education almost two years ago. This past year a non profit corporation was formed with the purpose of pursuing ownership of the building. A series of public meetings were held in June, July, and August to gather ideas on potential uses.

Funding strategies were identified.

In late October the Board voted to demolish GHS, along with Galion Middle School, North, Renschville, and Dawsett after they are vacated. There was no public input from the community on this decision, yet, the Board maintains they have the support of the community.

A petition drive has been started to show the board they are wrong in their perception that the community wants these buildings torn down. In a little over two weeks almost 400 signatures have been collected.

If you would like to read more specific information on the adaptive re-use proposal we encourage you to visit www.1917ghs.com/

If you would like to voice your support for this concept, you can sign the petition online by clicking the link on that website or go to: www.petitiononline.com/1917ghs/petition.html

The above text was sent to GalionGuy to encourage all the Galion alumni to send emails to their fellow classmates to sign the petition that asks the School Board to hold the demolition, and give the group a little more time to show how they can support the building in the future. The board has to take a hard stance because the State will help with 74% of the demolition and the local share of the cost has been budgeted in cost of the new buildings. They see a clear path to finishing the move to the new buildings and not take a chance that the old building will drift into ruin without a source of revenue to keep up the maintenance.

The group that wants to keep the building say the building is sound even though it has outlived its usefullness as a public school building. It is one of Galion's more impressive buildings. If it were to be demolished to make way for civic improvements, that would make some sense, but it isn't and will only be an empty field over a former grave yard. They request you sign the petition to give them a chance to get their plan together.

If there would be just one person out there that would have an idea or the means to allow us to keep that old auditorium with its acclaimed accustics, come forward now!