It was a first for many and like old times for others, as a diverse group of local residents marched with signs and props from one end of town to the other to let it be clearly known that Home Depot is not welcome in Jackson.
Starting at 9:00 am on Saturday June 17, well over one hundred people assembled at Jackson’s Detert Park and walked along Highway 49 to the steps of downtown’s National Hotel in a parade of people not usually seen in these parts. Carrying signs, placards and some dressed as “big orange boxes” the many slogans all told a clear message: Home Depot go away.
“The energy, the excitement and the turnout were just fantastic!” said Kathryn Devlin, one of the marchers. “At one point my estimate had the crowd closer to 250 people”. Devlin also praised Dennis Price for his efforts in organizing the successful march.
(KCRA News Coverage link now available. Please read through to the end of the story.)
In addition to the “marchers” were several “hoofers” with horses joining in on the march to downtown. The Jackson Police Dept. were helpful and friendly in coordinating the partial closure of Main Street to accomodate the crowd.
Among those in the march were former Jackson Mayor Marie Louise-Soloja. Once the group assembled downtown, several anti-Depot songs were sung and everyone clearly enjoyed the unity being shown by the group. Current Jackson City Council member Marilyn Lewis also spoke to the group downtown to implore the public to keep their thoughts and wishes known to City officials.
The proposal to build a 135,000 square foot Home Depot in the scenic valley adjacent to the Kennedy Mine has sparked an outpouring of unity and outrage over the effects on the community. This project by itself has angered many residents and many more aren’t aware that this would be only “Phase I” of an additional approximately 300,000 square feet of retail projects in this valley.
The march was planned by members of the Citizens for the Preservation of Historic Jackson, chaired by Bob Devlin. The CPHJ is a subcommitte of the recently formed Amador Citizens for Smart Growth which is chaired by Kathy Allen. These groups have come together in response to the Home Depot project and have been involved with other growth issues within the community.
(Many thanks to Bill Condrashoff for the file)
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