Lyssa BeyerI have visions of a quiet little spot down by the river where I can soak up the summer sun. Maybe I would have my book and a nice, big, red-green apple. One so tart and so crisp that it makes that cracking noise as I bite into it somewhere between chapters two and three. That is, of course, until the giant shadow of death rolls across what was, unofficially, known by the people as Peace Park. Then I am forced to put the book down and go home with the knowledge that we the people did not want this jail.
The threat to Peace Park, located in downtown Eau Claire between the river and First Avenue near the courthouse, is the brainchild of a few of our elected officials who seem to have forgotten that it is the responsibility of elected officials to uphold the values and ideals of the people they represent. Without this, our politicians fail us in their first and most basic job description – representing the people. For students and Eau Claire residents, this means some of our local representatives are working hard to fail us in a $59 million way with a jail that few people want, in a location that even more people do not want to see it built.
Senior Aaron Brewster also raised concerns that can affect students.
“The money for the jail will come from county taxes levied on property, including rental properties,” he said. “The landlords of student rentals will likely raise rents to cover this additional cost. Also, some student rentals will have to be demolished to make way for the jail expansion.”
The Eau Claire jail project has been a working idea for the last few years that is finally coming to a head. According to the Eau Claire County Web site, we need a new jail. The site says, “The current jail size is 118 beds, Huber jail is 208 and Juvenile Detention Center is 28 beds.” The new jail would have secure jail space of 345 beds. The problem is, as stated, people do not want this.
Not only do people not want the downtown jail, but people do not want it to the tune of over 2,500 and growing signatures. Along with the 2,500 signatures, our own Student Senate has shown opposition to the jail project in a unanimous vote of 28-0-0. I say right on, Student Senate. It’s good to see that when it comes to the Eau Claire Jail project, our Senate knows what it means to support the people.
Ellen Mahaffy, an assistant professor in the UW-Eau Claire communication and journalism department had this to say: “I think that putting a large and expanding jail on a riverfront area of downtown is not the best use of this area. Most cities that are progressive and forward-thinking use their riverfront as a draw for locals and visitors, putting more locally owned shops and restaurants there.”
As the famous newspaper columnist Franklin P. Adams once said, “The trouble with this country is that there are too many politicians who believe, with a conviction based on experience, that you can fool all of the people all of the time.”
Now is the time to draw the line in the sand. As freshman Allison Fendrick said, “I was appalled when I found out the extent of damage that this jail would have on the neighborhood, citizens, and students of Eau Claire. I did not like the idea of a large jail being constructed so close to campus and I was not in favor of a neighborhood that I had become involved with being ripped down to build something that so many Eau Claire citizens oppose. All of these reasons spurred me on to make all the difference that I could with this ongoing issue.”
We must fight for what we want against the oppression of some board members. This is the time; this is the call to action. Do you, as a student, want a jail or do you want to share in the dream of a warm summer day, down by the river at a park named for peace?
Now is the time to act and to save that dream. Every one of us needs to get involved. Now is the time for you to draw your line in the sand, to make your mark and to make your voice heard. Let’s not be happy with 2,500 signatures, let’s not stop until we hit 5,000 or even 10,000. All it takes is five minutes out of your day to stop by Just Local Food at 772 First Ave., and go to Citizens for Accountability in Jail Expansion at: http://eccaje.blogspot.com/
The time to act is now.
Acheson is a freshman print journalism major and assistant photo editor of The Spectator.
