We have extensively researched for methods to keep the "Anthony Walken" civic center in place, as well as its young people's development programs and scholarships, since we found out about the decision to close it. The amount of money that would be saved by closing this center is quite significant for the smaller and smaller City Hall budget, yet, as stated earlier, there are more valuable things besides money that would be lost in this case. We are talking about the only neutral space in which African-Americans, Latin Americans, Asians, East Europeans or native Americans can engage in common community projects, receive funding for them, as well as scholarships for working visits to Washington or for school support. The center has an immense value also because it create the necessary synergies for people to come together and act on community issues that you as Mayor also is interested in and work in collaboration with many of the individuals involved in this projects.

We have found as alternate methods of funding the center the development of social businesses like manufacturing traditional promotion objects made by children in poor...

Also, we have raised amongst ourselves enough money to create one will be the "Anthony Walken Fund" going directly into financing projects, programs and scholarships of the Center that are at this point offered by the City Hall budget. Similar methods of cutting costs and keeping this type of centers have been made in other cities across the country, as you surely know, and the results have been positive.
As the Mayor of our small but amazing city, we ask that you consider our solutions, commitment and reasons sufficient to rethink the decision to close the civic centre and restore amongst our citizens the trust they have lost in believing that if working together, solutions can be found.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely yours,

Alex Mitchum on behalf of the Community Association of the City of Pearson

Bibliography

Civic Center of Greater des Moines. Available at http://www.civiccenter.org/about_us/history.php