Auditorium Cannot Be Saved -- MesoLink.org -- 03-07-05

Residents of Pensacola have recently attended a meeting with council officials in the hope of getting a hold put on the demolition of a local auditorium. Bayfront Auditorium sustained serious damage last year from Hurricane Ivan, and is also rife with asbestos and has damaged air conditioning. The council officials have stated that it would cost too much to repair and maintain the building, and with only one council official backing the residents, the demolition is still scheduled to go ahead.

Although only twenty residents attended the meeting to argue the demolition, there were also over five hundred signatures from others that were opposed to the demolition. For many residents the auditorium is a place filled with memories and a place where they spent time as children. A couple of residents spoke about their reason for not wanting the auditorium demolished:

"It's a little more than a shell to us," said Rick Miller, one of the residents. "It has a lot of memories, a lot of history." Another resident, Bob Hayes, stated: "For those of us who have been in the city for over 40 years, Bayfront Auditorium has emotional and historical value to us. If you tear it down, we're going to cry."

Residents wanted to see some of the money from the hurricane insurance go towards renovation and repair of the auditorium, but with asbestos, hurricane damage, and faulty equipment the council have stated that the cost will be too high.