To the Reader’s Forum:

When you enjoy a pleasant afternoon sitting in one of Jamestown’s parks or strolling along the Chadakoin River do you ever pause to notice the way your environment shapes your experience? Do you feel a particular connection with a tree providing you with shade or does a specific building cultivate a sense of belonging in you? These experiences give us a glimmer of understanding that our city is just that: ours. Of course, you don’t legally own that tree or that building, but it is part of the fabric of the place you live. It is yours.

All cities are the possessions not only of their present inhabitants but also their future ones. During a period of disinvestment, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis demonstrates that historical preservation is a public responsibility:

“Is it not cruel to let our city die by degrees, stripped of all her proud monuments, until there will be nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire our children? If they are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future?”

Buildings are more than what goes on in them — they are a public treasure that create a sense of place. Like trees in a forest, they come together to create an environment that supports an entire ecosystem of diverse life and activity.

What would Paris be without the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, or Notre Dame? Of course, this is not an arbitrary or hypothetical question. On April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as an important piece of history went up in flames. We knew what had to be done. The building belongs to us. It inspired generations in the past and it belongs to the future.

When we think about how to invest public dollars, we need to remember this is our city and these are our buildings. How will we steward them for future generations — not only so they will have places to gather, but inspiration to learn, dream, and build the future?

The Rev. Luke Fodor

St Luke’s Episcopal Church