I guess it all falls under the title of "progress" but it just seems that sometimes progress tends to take away rather than give something to a community. Such is the case of the "enhancement" given to our ugly little A-frame building at the corner of Highway 208 and Albite Drive in Topaz Ranch Estates.
When ground breaking and construction had begun on the Arden Square Mall, I had asked Dick Silvera, the commercial developer, if the orange roof would be retained on the A-frame and he assured me it would be.
Sure it was no thing of beauty, all of us out here will attest to that fact, it has always been a little joke of sorts but, it was a landmark and a pivotal ingredient for easy-to-follow directions to anywhere in TRE. The problem is, the new roof doesn't come close to being orange of any shade. What's up with that?
Most of us often joked that it was the only landmark in Nevada that could be easily defined in satellite imagery from outerspace. When standing on top of Mt. Segel in the Pine Nut range, that brilliant little orange A-frame was always a point of reference in finding any other TRE location. It was a beacon on a foggy day and a clear definition for a left turn onto a very undefined Albite Road which is otherwise hard to find, especially at night. There was just no missing that bright orange roofed A-frame.
Now our landmark has succumb to a facelift, an improvement of sorts I guess, blending it into the background of the new Arden Square strip mall that has yet to open on the corner of Highway 208 and Albite. The brilliant orange has been subdued to a dull brick red making TRE's Der Weinerschnitzel "wannabe" barely noticeable. I would guess that all that nice metal roofing put on the new strip mall addition just isn't available in fluorescent orange so the addition could match the A-frame instead of the other way around.
Although some might decide this was a real aesthetic improvement, I for one, find it rather depressing to see such a unique and highly visible landmark loose its "personality" and fade into obscurity amidst its new surroundings. It was a conversation piece at best and travelers on Highway 208 knew exactly where TRE was located at the mere mention of the orange A-frame.
Think about the implications ... We will no longer have an unmistakable point of reference when telling strangers how to find locations in TRE. Satellites will no longer be able to distinguish the little A-frame from any other building in our growing community as a GPS setting. Just think ... Nevada lost a landmark and we will all have to find another way to give directions. And that is progress?
Until next week ... Just keep on keepin' on.
n Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 782-5121, ext. 213, or after hours at JHILL47@aol.com
