History & Doom

© 2022 Luke T, Bush 

When Pyramid Mall opened in Plattsburgh Town back in the mid 1970s Plattsburgh City needed a proper response. It didn't take long for stores like JC Penny and Wards to flee downtown for the new mall.

So how did Plattsburgh City respond? They left in the parking meters. There were plenty of open spaces.  Let’s see: park for free at the mall or keep slugging coins into a parking meter so I don’t get a ticket?

Something had to be done about downtown. Turn Margaret Street to one way, that's the answer!  There have always been too many one way streets in downtown.   I would be walking along and a car would pull over for directions.  I had to pause to think about the layout of the one way streets, making sure the person could get to his destination. It was easier to tell someone to go down the block, make a right turn and go to the mall. Eventually Margaret went back to a two way street, a more convenient setup.

Today there are big plans for downtown. Paid parking!  Make Margaret Street one way!

Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to waste taxpayer money.