Open Letter to Shreveport City Council March 21, 2021

Greetings:

My name is Dosite John Perkins and I live in District D. I saw news reports about the traffic light poles erected in front of Kings Highway Christian Church and C. E. Byrd High School at the intersection of Kings Highway and Line Avenue. Both these buildings are of great architectural and historical value to Shreveport.

For years, people in the television and film industry, including people from Los Angeles and New York and the surrounding area came to Shreveport to produce movies and television. I spent time with these people and after they became comfortable with me, often would ask why I lived in Shreveport instead of somewhere else. It was an expression of surprise. I would explain that I had strong family ties to the city and many friends, but they did not see anything attractive about the city. In other words, they didn’t see why the city itself would attract anyone. It certainly didn’t attract them.

It is my understanding that the new poles would not pass city rules if erected by a private company or person. They hide two of Shreveport’s architectural treasures. Winston Church, commenting on the bombed-out House of Commons, requested that the House be rebuilt to its original design. He said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”

Buildings like the Church and the school influence us even as we drive by them; they set our mood and they also set the mood of visitors. Traffic light poles designed with only the consideration of holding up lights do not set a mood, at least not in a good way. My grandfather, who spent his adult life in Shreveport would say anything worth doing is worth doing well. The poles were not done well.

I know that there is a solution to retrofit these poles with covers so that they appear consistent with the time both buildings were built. Architecture is art and honoring this art is one of many ways that the city can shape us positively, not make us feel like we are in a utility section of a basement. We all know not to put a floor lamp in front of a painting, but sometimes a different perspective is needed to keep a traffic light pole away from a work of art. A simple solution can be found and best found before the poles go up.

I would respectfully suggest that the Council and Mayor form a committee focused on the appearance of the city as a whole and also the appearance of its infrastructure. Like the Mayor’s committee on race, it can be large. It can contain representatives from all districts, experts in city planning and architecture, artists, neighborhood associations and others who can bring the concerns of all neighborhoods and all citizens to light for discussion. Members of the committee should not just be experts, all citizens of all walks of life can contribute just as much.

The issues I have brought up are very important to Shreveport and, comparatively, the committee would use little resources. I hope I have an opportunity to volunteer to work with the committee.

Sincerely,
Dosite John Perkins