The Dayton Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

Also known as AIA Dayton, http://www.aiadayton.org was introduced to South Park, as a result of Karin Manovitzch (President for Life). She exposed South Park to AIA’s ideas that are as weak as a glass of water, so to speak. What they; “AIA” put on the table, is not heavy enough for me, and then again maybe I am spoiled, being just a poor old over educated construction worker. I compared AIA’s presentation, to a High School, or Community College, debating Harvard or Oxford University. They had something to present for sure, but it was more a coating of adjectives and adverbs, than any real substance. My family blood has spent way over 60-70 some odd years in South Park, and speaking for myself, the direction AIA is Fofo, dull, and small. Now I am just commenting on just the two projects that I had come into contact, with very brief interactions with some of the other projects. I was a part of the Park Project that they wound up calling the Green... gag; wonder who came up with this word? This is one of those overworked words; we have the Green Zone; Iraqi, The Green; Dorothy Lane, Green Party, Think Green, Green Building Council. I am having a Green Overload… The park is in back and to the rear of the school on Hickory, as well as sitting in on some of the street signage.
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To start with, I went to the first meeting they held at the school down on Hickory Ave. last summer, the gym was plum full of people, neighborhood and a whole bunch of new faces unfamiliar to me. It had the general appearance of a rounding of Dayton’s population, with a little disappointment that there were not more  people of color represented; then there was. Little was I to know…

Off the get go I had mixed emotions regarding the whole scene, in reflection, there was folding chairs in circle of the gym floor, the protagonist that stood stage front, armed with black magic markers, and a large flip over paper pad. The kind that was used; when I was in grade school, while teaching me the Three R’s, at Westwood over on Hoover Avenue. Where were the Plasma TV’s; with PowerPoint presentation? I thought this was to be the big boys, as this had all the smell of just another kid's game called Analog Presentation?
Ho Hum…

 The protagonist was good; in a matter of no time he had more than half of the audience, holding their hands up, like they were waiting their turns to go to the bathroom. He used the old hold your hand up routine, several times as proof he had control of his audience. I could control myself up to the point, when he wanted us to get up, find someone we didn't know, and group hug so to speak. I can do a one on one with no problems, but I saw several people; that I did not want them in my Social-Universe, let alone put my hand willingly into theirs. The whole scene made me very uncomfortable, with the burning desire to leave, which I hastily did.
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This is my opinion:
Opinions are like assholes, we all have one.

The Borders or Street Signage

Fact*: this was a no brainer on my part, flags or signs was out off the get-go, as you have to be in the neighborhood to see them, what you want to do is let Dayton know where South Park is I thought. What I think is needed, is to have lights that would stream up into the air, circling the Historic borders and boundaries at major points pointed upward. I can see it now, people passing along the Interstates would wonder what the lights represented, and Google it. As well as the population in Dayton, the lights would be South Park, and you would reach millions with a little light. Whoever was in charge of that section of the program should be promoted to second string pencil sharpener.

*Don’t confuse me with fact; I already have my mind made up.

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The Park, the Green, Seely’s Ditch/Basin, or Africa

It’s like this, I am not going to get into where the meeting was held or what all we talked about, I think sitting squeezed in the middle of a hallway, a large flip over paper pad and magic markers, worked well in this environment, and had its own charm. Then again; me being crude, primitive, and barbaric at various moments in times may have helped, this was just not one of those times. Our ideas on The Park was placed on the table in discussion in front of these strangers (AIA), it was neat hearing what the different people in the neighborhood thoughts were, and at that point of idea presentation, I brought up the history part of the land, and was really surprised that they (AIA) failed to know the history of the area. I then directed everyone in attendance to my web site: http://www.communicationart.net/SeelysDitch.htm and my research on this area. As I have been researching Morris Seely for quite sometime. Within my research, I found that this area was and is the first place, where people of color resided in the Miami Valley and Dayton in particular, as well as a meeting place for the Underground Railroad, with me strongly feeling that there should be some designation for a part of Dayton that was once called “Africa.” The Black Irish” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Irish
surfaced in me, with me entertaining thoughts of am I the only Black person in Dayton that really cares. This subject matter of Africa was shelved under the table in no short order, I then took the liberty of  mentioning Morris Seely and his famous Basin that later came to be known as a Ditch, Seely’s Ditch. Again AIA had never heard of it or him, which by now came as no surprise. I then asked the people in attendance if they were familiar with Seely’s Ditch, or Africa, I forget how many acknowledged it, though with Pam’s head nodding; I asked her if she knew of it and if she knew what it was for? She said, “I guess he just wanted to dig a ditch?” I thought I would piss myself!

After several more meetings I could see the direction of where the park was heading, that somehow had now become “The Green”. AIA’s ideas presented were small, weak as club soda and I was uncomfortable with what they were putting on the table. Robert Creeley said something in class one time, that I have carried with me though out my years:
"In knowing that you know what you know!"
It was very evident that AIA didn't know anything, about South Park. At no time did AIA contact the school principle or school to get their feedback, nor Pastor Doris at the Church on Oak Street, on the park to the front of the Church. Research, it is my understanding; is in under taking any project of any importance or significance, do your home work I was taught, then go all over it again to see if you missed anything; then update it. Personally speaking, I then like to put some air between it, place it on the shelf while you clear and cleanse your thoughts. Pick it up and refresh your memories and see how you can make
"it only more so."

One of the things they presented, was something to be stage center in the park, their idea was some kind of a butter fly thingy that people could stand under, and was made out of stainless or aluminum and some kind of tarp. This being a historical district, I don’t think so, though the South Park residents seemed to be a bunch lemmings or lambs drooling over every word that AIA presented. So I would say that anything would be possible...

The  people that travel Route 35; wanting their attention to be drawn to a central point, and I agree full heartily for a dominate fixture. What hokey ideas they presented, just like so many of the other thoughtless  designed parks around the country, not one thing was original. Then when I presented my idea at the meeting, I had the feeling I was treated like a step-child; the way it was passed over. I said CLOCK, the clock that I was referencing is the one that stood on the corner of Third and Main Street for so many years, then atop Reynolds and Reynolds next to I-75, and is now resides in Carillon Park, that CLOCK. The clock could very easily be raised high enough to where it could be seen from the passing traffic, as well as the under belly space to be used as lit bathrooms, and security cameras as well as a live feed from the camera's to the internet. Then get the Statue that was a top of the Mayfair Theatre then to the front of the Dayton Art Institute for awhile,  and now sitting in storage to the rear of the Dayton Art Institute, raise the lady in the air like the Statue of Liberty, place her close to where the walk cross over 35 is. Have the appropriate lighting her up, another live camera feed.

Historically speaking, I see Africa in tribute some where in the Seely's Ditch area, as well as overhead gate entrances with Seely's Ditch atop. Morris Seely was thinking ahead of his time with his Basin, as his idea was to have a Mall and move industry and families to the far reaches of Dayton, so a canal lock if only a lock door should be apart of the game plan. There is documented evidence that the State of Ohio held back his water; up to the Supreme Court Ruling in Seely's favor, and the award of money.

Attached is the 1831 Ohio Supreme Court decision.  Seeley wasn't actually a party---The Cooper heirs sued the state (Micajah T. Williams was the Canal Commissioner responsible for construction of the Miami Canal from Cincinnati to Dayton) because the state had agreed to supply Seely with water from the Mad River Feeder (which fed water from a dam on Mad River just east of today's Findlay Street bridge to the main line of the canal at Sixth Street--this was before the canal was extended north to Piqua).  The Coopers had several mills around the head of the canal basin (the general area around the entrance plaza for 5/3 Field) and a saw mill down around Fifth Street, and they had their own dam and race from Mad River, but it was further west (lower down) the river, and they also had the right to take water from the canal for mill power.

Apparently, the state had entered into an agreement with Seely to provide water from the feeder to his "canal" so that he could use it for water power, and the Coopers didn't like that the state was going to take even more water out of Mad River (to supply Seely), possibly affecting the volume that would be available further downstream for their own dam.  You also have to wonder if they didn't want to try to stifle competition, since Seely's system would have competed as a source of water power with the Coopers' own right to sell water power (the so-called Upper Cooper Hydraulic) at Fifth Street.
http://www.communicationart.net/SupremeCourt.htm

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I see a Jogging, Walking Path or Inline Skating Path

It appears that who came up with the idea of a Jogging or Walking sidewalk, has never done any jogging or walking in an area designated for that purpose. All of the ones that I have been on have always been on the outside parameters, with it written somewhere what the distance is, so a person can know the distance they have traveled. From my own experiences, I like to know the distance as well as the time of my exercise. The curly cue jogging path presented by AIA and swooned to by the South Park residents, makes me question if I am in the same time zone.

I see a Dog Park

What would be a better way to tie in and connect the inner city, than a dog park within walking distance, as the park in back of the Hickory Street School would offer. For sure Dayton has two dog parks that are out in the boonies, where as this park would tie two historic districts together, as well as the new Loft District around Fifth/Third Baseball field. Besides a dog park, it could be filled with Dayton Art Sculptures.

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Last Updated:
07-18-2008
 

Franklin R. Sousley
Before Franklin R. Sousley raised the Flag on Iwo Jima.
He found his way to Frigidaire Plant 2 on Springboro Pike,
working as a staker and assembler on the propeller line.
During the week he stayed in an apartment at 107 Park Drive in South Park.