Letter: Unhappy with new VFW Hall design (March 15)
I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Dave Berry for providing more than four acres of land on which to build the new VFW Hall. Thanks, also, to Berry Construction for building it. I’m sure happy with the location where we are now.
It’s too bad I can’t say I agree with the design of the building inside, with a 3,000-square-foot dance hall and 5,000 square feet of offices and storage.
Our funding mostly comes from renting out the hall. The designers blew it big time. The design should have been the other way, with 5,000 square feet available for rent.
Yes, I am a VFW member.
Joe Urena,
Madera
I am writing in response to Joe Urena’s letter to the editor which appeared in The Madera Tribune on Monday, March 15, titled, “Unhappy with new VFW Hall design.”
Mr. Urena stated that he is a VFW member.
My first question to Mr. Urena is: Where have you been for the past 28 months, during which time the myriad details involved with the sale of the old building, development of plans for the new, finding a builder and location, and working out the funding for the project were dealt with very painstakingly, and very successfully, I might add, by your fellow VFW members?
Had you attended our meetings in that time your questions and concerns could have been helpful. Your comments now about the design of the building, after the fact, I look upon as unwarranted and needless criticism.
During the construction phase, members were on site every day to assist the builder in whatever manner we could. Did you even once present yourself to ease their burden or lend a hand when they were putting in the irrigation system for the eventual landscaping, also accomplished by members? These and several other things were done to save money so that we could do more with our limited resources.
Many townspeople and VFW members contributed by writing checks, others by giving generously of their time to assist the various elements of this project.
Sir, in what manner did you contribute?
There are numerous reasons as to why the building was designed in the manner you find it, all meticulously thought out to suit VFW Post 1981’s multiple needs. We would like to have added several upgrades and built an even-larger building, but were constrained by money limitations. If you were an active VFW member who attended our meetings and other events, you would have information that would have precluded you from writing as you did about the design of our building.
George A. Bloch, DDS,
VFW post commander,
Madera