Should it stay or should it go?

By Phil Cobb | August 30, 2016 |

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I think the silo should go.

As progress comes in leaps and bounds at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park, one hot-button topic has surfaced – demolition of the silo.

In my opinion, it’s time for the silo to be taken down. And while it is obviously my opinion and not that of many people in the area, I thought I should present some facts (gathered from City Hall) to my readers so that you can make informed opinions of your own.

Fact: The silo was built in 1978 and has never held a single piece of grain.

My opinion: While the silo has become a somewhat iconic symbol to those in the local area, I don’t see it as a tribute to agriculture. It was never actually used to store grain.

Multiple landowners had possession of the silo and never used it for their operations. And yes, the intent of it was to store grain, but a storage deal fell through, and that never happened.

While I can’t speak for every farmer, I strongly believe that if it had stayed in agricultural land, that silo would have likely come down anyway. If a farmer owned that land today, he or she would probably have seen it as an outdated way to store their grain.

A big silver grain bin with higher capacity would have taken its place by now. Today’s grain bins are bigger and include technology to make farmer’s lives easier. Most importantly, today’s bins are much safer than the silo ever was.

I would venture to guess that a large majority of today’s farmers would have demolished that silo for something more cost-effective, more efficient, and much safer to enhance the operations of their farm.

Yes, agriculture is our heritage, and we will never forget that. Especially because agricultural land still surrounds Mozingo.

I don’t want it to sound like I don’t appreciate everything those farmers gave up for Mozingo. I really do appreciate what they did for the greater good of Maryville, Nodaway County, and northwest Missouri. I say we thank them for giving up their land by moving our community’s assets forward.

Fact: The silo design is considered “modern,” not “historic.”

My opinion: If this had been standing there for a century, I would understand it, but it’s not even 40 years old yet.

I agree that yes, it is a landmark to those who have seen it. But it’s standing in the way of something much bigger than itself. I’ll get to that later.

Fact: The aging structure has cracks, rusting metal stairs and rivets, and a partial metal top (part has already blown off). Repairing and maintaining the silo would cost significant tax dollars.

My opinion: While it has not been deemed a structural hazard at this point, without all the repairs and maintenance it would need, its condition would only get worse.

Fact: The City of Maryville considered tearing it down when they began lake progress in the early- to mid-1990s. The main reason they did not was because of the demolition costs.

My opinion: Those demolition costs will undoubtedly be much higher today, simply due to inflation, though still less than long-term maintenance would be. At that point, the silo would have been much younger, less than 20 years old. While I was obviously not in on this discussion at that point, younger than 20 years old doesn’t seem historic at all. We wouldn’t be worried about it at all right now if that were the case.

Fact: The silo measures 29 feet wide inside and 85 feet tall.

My opinion: The small amount of space available would be awkward and very difficult to utilize. That is 9.5 yards – not even enough for a first down.

And it was built to be a silo, not some creative idea we’ve seen on Pinterest, Facebook or HGTV – especially not without pouring unnecessary funds into it.

It would be out of pure sentimental reasons to use it for something, not because the space makes sense. Because a round space in that size isn’t really useful for anything, especially not without spending a lot of money. Knowing that it can’t be utilized means understanding that it provides no benefit to enhance revenue for Mozingo or the City of Maryville.

Fact: The silo does not fit into the new conference center’s design or function. By putting the conference center where it is, and using the model from the similar Denison, Iowa hotel and conference center, the City of Maryville is saving taxpayers $180,000. Putting it elsewhere would add costs in grading and structure elevation. Plus, its location allows a view of both golf courses and the lake. Finally, the conference center’s location allows for a built-in storm shelter, a necessity that has never been offered to park users before.

My opinion: If I’m standing on the beautiful new deck at the conference center, I don’t want to have my view of the lake blocked by a tall concrete structure.

If I am planning an outdoor wedding, I don’t want to plan where the wedding party stands and where we take pictures around a bunch of decaying concrete, which, again, would cost significant dollars to improve.

I want to see the lake. I want to see boats on the water, cabins across the lake, the sunset, the lush green golf courses, and the classy, newly-created reception hall.

Keeping it just doesn’t fit with the design.

Plus, as the structure continues to age, it becomes a liability the moment a tiny piece of concrete chips and falls during a wedding or other event.

Now I know I’m from the “generation that just throws everything away.” But to me, it is a material thing, and material things are not meant to be idolized or made into icons.

It stands in the way of a picture-perfect wedding day full of memories that will last a lifetime.

It stands in the way of loved ones sharing in a sunset at their family’s gathering.

It stands in the way of the progress the City of Maryville has worked so hard toward at Mozingo for the past 25 years.

Believe me, I would love to keep it, if it didn’t require cost-prohibitive maintenance, or if it was in a slightly different location. But unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Sometimes it’s just time to move on. We can – and should – appreciate the past.

It is the Mozingo Advisory Board’s recommendation that the City take down the silo. The City can memorialize the silo in some way within the conference center or surrounding landscaping.

The silo has been a landmark for the last few decades, but now this carefully thought-out, beautiful conference center can become the functional landmark Mozingo’s growth and progress truly deserves.