Save Our Sheds! City Council Meeting Agenda Threatens Demolition of Historic Landmarks

Big Gun Sheds to be Lost

This year a number of considerations have come to light suggesting that we re-look at the plan that would result in removal of the Big Gun buildings: Citizen polls show that the community wants our historic structures included in downtown; professional opinions indicate that the Big Gun buildings can be rehabilitated.  And, we now realize that removal of the buildings prematurely,  will limit the options available to potential developers -  effectively eliminating consideration by those that would incorporate the heritage structures in their project.  From both practical and heritage standpoints the advantages of allowing  the structures  to remain in place for a period of time appear significant. 

At the Sep 13 council meeting,  Skip Gebel, President of The  Rocklin Historical Society, addressed the Council and formally requested that the City delay plans to remove the Big Gun Buildings. (To allow the community time to reconsider the fate of the Historic Quarry Sheds  in light of recent information indicating that rehabilitation of the structures and  their use in a commercial setting may be desirable and practical.) Council members received  packets of information including:  John Chase’s artist rendering of  rehabilitated Big Gun Sheds as the common area  of a Quarry Village; a 13 point justification for recommending  delaying removal of the sheds;  a petition/poll in support of a one year delay signed by 310 persons.  Vice Mayor Storey, Council Members Hill, Ruslin and Yuill were present.  Eight  presentations were made by Citizens in support of the request for a delay.  Vice Mayor Storey brought up an additional concern.  Rather than referring the issues to the Citizens’ Redevelopment Advisory Committee or City Staff for consideration and  guidance, the request for a delay was denied on the spot and direction given to proceed immediately per the plan to remove the Sheds.

Unbelievably, we are clearly on the path to losing the only surviving structures representing the very essence of our community’s heritage – sacrificed by rigid adherence to scrape and wait planning of the past.   Led by our City, that by California Law is charged with stewardship of our heritage, we will be destroying what is arguably Rocklin’s  most valuable cultural asset.

I am convinced that the City of Rocklin and the Community at large can pull together, as we have in the past, and, somehow avoid this tragedy.  

Gene Johnson

Chairman, Rocklin Historical Society Big Gun Committee

Tel 916-624-2378

e-mail marg.n.gene.rocklin@starstream.net

What you can do to help:

Attend the City Council Meeting Tonight (Tuesday 9/27) at 6pm in the Council Chambers and show your support for Saving Our Sheds.

The Historical Society will be making a presentation to the Council at the meeting and needs a large showing of support.  If you cannot attend, share this with those who can.