If time travel ever became a real possibility, and a student of the Mariemont City School District traveled forward a few years, they would not recognize the place. In August 2012, three new school buildings will have taken over the landscape of Mariemont, Terrace Park and Fairfax. Buzz about this huge undertaking has been flying for roughly a year. Citizens passed a levy, and school officials approved plans last year, and the new buildings will begin to take shape come June of 2011; which will begin an 18-month building process.
So far, the only physical work that has been done is the tearing down of Fairfax Elementary and some plumbing work for the new Terrace Park Elementary. There was a retiring ceremony for Fairfax last May.
Obviously, students being educated in these new buildings will be affected by the changes. However, they are not the only ones. Elementary schools seem to hold a sentimental value for older students who have moved on.
Former Mariemont Elementary student and current MHS junior Lizzie Deadrick says “I’m going to miss so much about the old schools. I basically grew up in that building and there are so many memories.”
Fairfax alum and MHS junior Jake Huskey says he is sad that his childhood elementary is gone. “Yes, I’m sad,” he says, “but not because it was torn down, but because I won’t be able to send my kids there.”
Mariemont Elementary graduate, junior Braxton Stricker will also miss things about the old Mariemont: “I definitely will miss the elementary stage and the reading stairs in the library.”
Despite some students’ sad feelings about the loss of the old schools, many approve of the new plans.
Sophomore Allie Frey, a former student at Terrace Park Elementary likes the ideas for the new schools. “I am excited for the new elementary,” Frey says. “I think it is the perfect time to rebuild. The number of students is going up and it is getting hard to fit all the kids.”
MHS senior, and former Terrace Park Elementary student, Lizzie Arington also thinks the plans are an improvement. “I haven’t really seen the new plans in depth, but from what I hear it’s going to be pretty great.”
Sadness about the past however, seems to be overwhelmed by excitement about the future of the district.
Frey says “It makes me sad because I don’t want to lose the memories, but I think that it is exciting for the kids who will get to use this building.”
Stricker sums up his feelings on the subject– “They may be tearing down a part of my childhood, but they are making a better one for younger generations.”
