Letters

Trainsplatting
Road scholar:Thank you for Casey Logan's excellent article on light rail ("Dead in Its Tracks," July 19). Kansas City needs good roads and bridges, more money for Truman Medical Center, more help for the inner city and help for its pathetic school system. I could go on, but we all get the point.

Light rail, new stadiums, more fountains, etc. -- ridiculous! I live in the Northland; guess I don't see the "grand vision" from way up here.
Margaret Murphy
Kansas City, Missouri

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Hyde and seek: I would like to publicly clarify comments made by Casey Logan's most quoted source, Old Hyde Park president John Gladeau. Mr. Gladeau mentioned a meeting in 1999 involving him, other members of the Old Hyde Park Neighborhood Association and Bob Berkebile of BNIM Architects. Mr. Berkebile has considerable experience on a national level in neighborhood planning. Our neighborhood was trying to conceive a neighborhood plan, and I had arranged for some of us to speak with him with the purpose of getting advice about how to proceed, where we might find pitfalls and where we might find assistance and guidance. There was never any intent for a partnership to exist between OHP and BNIM, and never had Mr. Berkebile mentioned anything about destroying the fabric that makes up Old Hyde Park.

Mr. Gladeau insists that BNIM Architects has no business being involved with the light rail study, based solely on the fact that Mr. Berkebile is one of the principals of BNIM. Historically, BNIM has had much involvement with the civic development of Kansas City, including the Kansas City Zoo and Union Station. If there is anything ethically wrong here (to use Mr. Gladeau's words), I believe it is Mr. Gladeau and his recollection of the 1999 meeting. I am embarrassed by the actions of my neighborhood president, and would like to apologize for the blatantly incorrect statements made by Mr. Gladeau. Mr. Berkebile donated his time and resources to aide us in our neighborhood plan. It is unfortunate that Mr. Gladeau fails to appreciate this effort and instead manipulates the facts to support his own personal agenda.
Eddy Krygiel
Kansas City, Missouri

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Taken for a ride:BNIM Architects' in-volvement in the light rail plan and apparent interest in the redevelopment of Old Hyde Park is not surprising to me. I once served on a committee in the Old Hyde Park Neighborhood Association to help complete a comprehensive neighborhood plan for the area.

In 1999, the architect employed by BNIM, who invited Old Hyde Park representatives John Gladeau and Lois Daniel to the meeting with Bob Berkebile, volunteered to be on the committee. In July of the same year, the neighborhood held a meeting to vote on whether to support two adjoining construction projects on Gillham Road. Both developers have contingencies to buy parcels of land Berkebile owned in Old Hyde Park. The architect stood before the membership and strongly suggested they vote in favor of both of these projects. One would severely alter a historic home to accommodate a large banquet facility; the other was a group- home expansion. When asked by John Gladeau to explain his affiliation with Berkebile, the architect answered, "Well, yeah, I work for him, but I don't see what that has to do with anything." The members voted to not support either of those projects.

It's no wonder BNIM involvement in both the Main Street Corridor Plan and the light rail plan would make Old Hyde Park residents suspicious of that firm's motive.
Lydia Carson
Kansas City, Missouri

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Fast track:The Pitch accounted for all the views on light rail but was unfair to architect Bob Berkebile and the city planners. Demonstrating its customary lack of cultural vision, the Chamber of Commerce has opposed the plan, asserting it's too much money for too few riders. Mr. Berkebile knows that the real justification for light rail is the revitalization of the inner city.

Indeed, light rail has succeeded in other cities on this score. Supporters must hold fast on the advantages of development around the light rail stations or they fall into the chamber's rhetorical trap. People who live near the proposed routes should take the long view. Gentrified inner- city neighborhoods need an economic anchor, or they may again succumb to decay and crime. Also, time is running out for the metro area as a whole. It is fast becoming a "Los Angeles on the prairie" where people come to make a quick buck before moving on to "cooler" places.
Craig Volland
Kansas City, Kansas

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The great train robbery:Thank you for boldly printing the truth about the proposed light rail plan. It has been difficult, to say the least, to obtain information from the city ... and we knew why. The city residents are being bamboozled by the power elite. Thank you for making the facts public. It is evident that another Kansas City publication will print only what it is told to print.

Beware the fabricators who dim the light so truth cannot be found. The Pitchshould be commended for standing tall, turning bright the light and baring the facts for all to see.