Supporters of refurbishing the dormant Frankfort Roundhouse need all the aid they can amass.
And should the Frankfort City Council oblige, they might just secure $50,000 worth.
Dave Little and Shan Sheridan, president and treasurer of the Frankfort-Midwest Rail Heritage Trust, respectively, sought the council’s approval of a resolution to submit an application for a community development block planning grant. The nonprofit group could potentially be rewarded up to $50,000.
Council members decided to table the issue until a later meeting.
“We’ve done a lot of work on this for several years,” Little said. “...We want to learn as much about this as everyone else.”
He and other trust personnel interviewed about five architects for a possible design process and recently narrowed the pool of candidates to two.
In recent months, project advocates outlined various outlets for transforming the facility. Those include a possible museum to discuss the history of Nickel Plate Railroad, a business complex, lodging and other means.
Regardless of one’s stance on such a project, to at least apply for the grant is a logically sound choice, Sheridan contends.
“This is not obligating anything in the future,” he said. “...It’s simply to say, ‘Is this economically feasible?’ ... We think the roundhouse property could be a great gateway.”
Mayor Chris Pippenger and others continue to fret over possible aspects of a project.
For one, Pippenger said, mosquitoes are an issue in the area. Meanwhile, Building Inspector Chuck Toney noted the fences around the area need reworked and general structural problems concern him.
Councilman Joe Palmer voiced another sticking point.
“Almost everyone I’ve talked to have said ‘Do not let the city get involved in this,’” he said.
Sheridan reported he has heard the same type of attitude — but from the opposite perspective.
Even before a vote at a future meeting, Councilman Jim Moyer told the rail heritage group of his blessing. But he doubts the likelihood of any movement on the issue — at least anytime soon.
“I think you guys have a wonderful dream,” he said. “...I’ll be dead before it gets there.”
Some type of resolution seems prudent no matter which side of the issue one stakes his or her claims to, Pippenger said.
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