THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 23, 1995 TAG: 9507210216
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
After removing the lush shade trees and comfortable bricks and benches from Middle Street Mall, the city owes downtown a better replacement than the garish new display installed at the entrance of the Children's Museum of Virginia.
The loss of the trees has been very noticeable during the recent hot spell. New installations on the mall offer no shade, no place to take a breather from the sun, for either pedestrians or museum-goers. The sun's rays are not broken at all by the harsh new decorations.
The wonderful - and successful - Children's Museum is not enhanced by this display that is totally out of character in Olde Towne. In fact, the mall installation is not even in character with the whimsical entrances and decor of the museum building.
The building is fun, looks like a huge child's toy. The new additions to the mall are not the same. In some ways, they do not seem related.
It's too late for the trees and the comfortable feeling of the old mall. But the city needs to add some natural touches in the form of plants or at least create some shady places to break the harshness of the installation. by CNB