Hartington should continue to build on its history

T here has been quite a lot of talk about the Skylon Ballroom since the Hartington City Council first floated the idea of moving the 72-yearold structure and refurbishing it to be used as a community center.

There are, indeed, many pros and cons to the idea.

Some folks say the Skylon’s history will help it attract a crowd.

Others say that because of the building’s age, we are just asking for trouble by trying to move and repurpose it.

Whichever side you’re on, one thing is for certain, this community needs a community center — a place that will attract people to town for large weddings, dances, and special events.

Hartington has always been a progressive community — a community where people are not afraid to take on a project.

Be it a new swimming pool, new library, new sports complex, school addition, fairgrounds improvemements or Veterans Memorial, local residents always seem to band together to do what’s right.

And the town benefits greatly because of it. Long-time Cedar County News readers are probably getting tired of this story, but I’ll tell it again, anyway.

After an 18-month search in Minnesota and South Dakota for a newspaper to buy, Peggy and I set foot in Hartington for the first time on a cold, gray day in February 1992.

It didn’t take us long to figure out this community is one filled with pride. It easily put all the other towns we’d looked at in the three-state area to shame.

It was obvious, even to a visitor just passing through for the first time, that this community was one that wasn’t afraid to take on a big project.

That vision, that ‘can-do’ attitude has bennefitted our town well over the years.

While we personally support the idea of moving the Skylon, enlarging it and installing new, expanded restroom facilities, we won’t admonish anyone that favors the idea of building a new community center instead.

Sure, building a new facility will cost quite a bit more, but a new community center may ultimately cost less down the road when it comes to maintanence and repairs. Wherever you stand on the issue, we urge you to do one thing — vote.

And, if you vote against the idea of bonding for a revitalized Skylon, then give strong consideration for voting in favor of building a new community center, instead.

City leaders have plainly stated they feel Hartington needs a community center.

That means if this issue fails, we’ll be voting on another proposal in the not-too-distant future.

Let’s keep that community pride alive and voice our support at the ballot box for a community center.