by Erika Simm, contributor

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To me, a city hall has always meant a building that is representative of the community it stands for; a place that tells who its citizens are.

I grew up in a town in southern Bavaria which dates back to Roman times; a town of trade by 800 A.D. Though not born there, I spent the best part of my child- and young adulthood in this "free" city.

For its citizens, their city hall is a piece of pride, a piece of history. Originally built in the 16th century and rebuilt at the end of the 1800s, it is a lasting renaissance stone building of beauty. The slate roof carries little stone towers. Three sides of granite stairs with stone banisters lead up to an entry platform with ornate wrought iron street lamps, and to the entrance of heavy oak double doors with wrought iron hinges and heavy door handles. As a child, I had to push hard to make these doors open for me. I got married in this grand old building and remember walking up the great staircase that divided on the first floor that was marked by carved oak walls and an ornate and built-in oak desk of the Justice of the Peace.

When we had visitors, city hall was always on our tour; this great building at the foot of Maximilian Street, half a block from the 'Neptune' fountain, around which the traffic divided.

Now, and since 1968, I call Richmond my home. City hall in the late '70s was a purposeful building, housing the RCMP offices in its south wing. It was reflective of its mostly no-frills farming community: rectangular and no nonsense. You only went there if you had to.

As the city grew so did its bureaucratic needs, and the RCMP was squeezed out.

When, in 1986, my childhood friend came to visit me, Expo was on and I gave her the full tour of Vancouver and Richmond. She insisted on seeing city hall. I remember taking a real look at the architecture (or lack of it) with her and thinking about what this building really reflected.

In the last 10 years Richmond experienced a tremendous population growth and no longer is city hall adequate for the number and composition of Richmond's population. No longer does city hall reflect the people and business community.

As we are approaching the 21st century, I am looking forward to Richmond's new city hall. I would like this new building and its architecture to be representative of us - Richmond's citizens at the turn of a century, of who we are, what we are, and where we are going. I would like it to be a proud and lasting piece of Richmond's history; a building that today's children can fondly remember.

Erika Simm is a Richmond realtor and an active member of the community.

The Review welcomes Soapbox submissions on any topic. Fax yours in 350 words to 273-5272 or e-mail at rreview@jumppoint.com.

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