Central is topic at Central Park meeting

The Central Park Neighborhood Association May 21 discussed the closing of Central High School and vandalism in the neighborhood.

President Jerry Rule said he had met with President Sherry Hayden, College and Cultural Neighborhood Association, to organize the two neighborhood associations to develop options for the now empty Central High School building.

John Freeman, who was at the meeting, said a letter taken to Michael Manley, the attorney for Powers Catholic High School, said the neighborhood association would support Powers move to Central’s unused facilities.

The Flint Journal reported that the school, which has been searching for a new location for several years, might be interested in obtaining the building.

The letter implied, Freeman said, “If Powers is going to put their time, effort, blood and treasure into that, we should help with what we can.”

In his opinion, Rule said, the school board would not even consider transferring the building because they are elected officials that do not believe it was what the public wanted. He insisted the community needs to show they support the effort.

“We did not endorse Powers buying the building but we would like the board to explore some options,” Rule said.

In other news, the Central Park neighborhood’s traffic triangle on Court Street was vandalized recently. Five of eight trees planted two years ago were broken. Rule said Keep Genesee County Beautiful will replace the trees. Multiple stem trees may be used to avoid future problems.