All too often as we hear the smack of the wrecking ball slapping part of Texarkana history, we also hear in our heads and hearts reverberations of regret and remorse, saying: It's a shame we could not have saved that old place.
That's because we usually are days late and many dollars short of rescuing the rundown but restorable. Many times, we suspect, people might have had the will if they had known where to find resources.
Residents of Texarkana, Ark., and surrounding areas have a chance to increase their knowledge base Tuesday when the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program holds a listening session on regional preservation issues at Texarkana City Hall, 216 Walnut St. The session starts at 5 p.m.
The National Parks Service requires states to hold such meetings every five years. Similar sessions will be conducted all around the state.
State preservation officials want public comment on several issues, such as how historic preservation is achieved and by whom; what kind of properties communities are doing a good job of upkeep and whether other properties are overlooked. The state wants to know what type of resources-educational, technical and financial-people need to help with preservation efforts. They also want to know how much people know about state programs and services and what the AHPP can do to help local efforts. They also want to know how historic resources are threatened.
With this information, state officials will develop goals for the next five years.
If people cannot attend the meeting in Texarkana or elsewhere, they can find a questionnaire and comments from the sessions available online at arkansaspreservation.org until Aug. 31.
Written inquiries and comments can be sent to Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center St., Little Rock, AR 72201.
We urge area residents to take advantage of this opportunity to speak out in a meaningful way about the parts and parcels of our heritage worth saving. It's more satisfying than sighing and shaking our heads over the pulverizing of a place that made us proud.