Tuesday July 13th, 1999 was a day I will always remember. Lives would be affected, and several environmental issues were at stake. Trees would be destroyed, animals’ homes would no longer be, and rubble would eventually wash into streams causing problems in the ecosystem. The City of Gainesville wanted to come in and change the community for what they thought would be a better use of space, but did not realize that the elderly and kids who lived in the Butler Community, loved their apartments and environment around it. The elderly were the ones who made the best of the inconvenient circumstances, turning the Butler Project Apartments into a sustainable living area. To the City of Gainesville, the projects were just another prey they would feast …show more content…
For the past few days, neighbors were in disbelief and in all sorts of confusion. There was not an ounce of happiness around the Butler Apartment Projects; it had been that way since July 7th. On the 7th many residents were made aware of the destruction and reconstruction of the Butler Projects. The City of Gainesville was going to destroy the project homes where many elderly, and young parents called home. It was a place where I shared many memories as a child growing up. At the time, being a young 8 year old kid, I could not process the magnitude of the entire situation. During the last days I spent most of time sitting outside under Big Butler; the vast Oak towering over the apartments. Acorns falling as the squirrels jump from limb to limb. Big Butler provided us kids with golf ball like acorns for acorn wars, as we kids liked to call it. I sat there and reminisced about all the times Big Butler saved me for getting pegged in the face by an acorn. It seemed as if Big Butler was a body guard of some sort. There is this urban myth that a kid from Butler was shielded from gunfire hiding behind body guard like Oak. Being that this myth took place before I was born, I can’t confirm if it was true. Nonetheless, there was something extraordinary about Big …show more content…
Before he arrived, there were many tractors and construction workers in their bright orange vest and their dirty white hard hats. One construction worker had a humongous map in his hand. After viewing the map for a spilt second, he yelled “This place is about to crumble!” Most Butler residents had fled the area in complete incredulity and rage. There were a few residence left to witness what many did not believe would take place after many hours of meaningless protests and petitions. Mr. James, a longtime resident of the projects, continued to bicker with and badger the construction workers. Pleading with them to be considerate of the place we called home. I just stared in amazement at all the things that were taking place. As the commotion proceeded, I went into a daze. The massive Oak tree stood beside my grandma’s apartment that all the kids in the projects used to climb. I received my first kiss climbing Big Butler that past May; Big Butler held a special place in all the kids’ heart that lived in Butler Apartments. We didn’t have an actual playground so we made Big Butler our jungle gym. Once the commissioner of Gainesville arrived, I could hear Mr. James bellowing out directives. It seemed like Mr. James would not take no for an answer. A few other residents and my grandmother hastily ran over to Mr. James’ defense. I leisurely