It’s official.
The local Salvation Army Corps will relocate to the current
Temple Beth El building on Jackson Avenue. Meanwhile, the temple
will move its congregation to the site of the former Apostolic
Church of North America on Clarence Street.
Temple president Dr. Edward Epstein said Sunday those involved
“closed the deal on Friday.”
Epstein said his congregation’s new location is a place that
will work well “to facilitate the extension of the
congregation.”
“Otherwise,” Epstein added, “we would have had to close down.
There’s only about 30 members now. Hopefully we will be able to
afford to stay there (at the new location).”
Addressing concerns brought about mostly by Jackson Avenue
residents last June when the rumor of the move first surfaced,
Epstein said “The Salvation Army is not going to do what people
think … it will be a regional center … just administrative.”
Epstein called The Salvation Army captains “very cooperative and
very fine people,” adding The Salvation Army as an entity has been
in the Bradford area for 116 years.
Local Salvation Army captains Henry and Deborah Weigner issued a
release of sorts that appears as an advertisement on page 11 in
today’s edition of The Era. In it, The Salvation Army also
addresses some of the concerns brought about by current temple
neighbors who opposed the relocation of The Salvation Army to
Jackson Avenue.
“Recently, there have been some statements made within our
community that have been inaccurate, speculative and somewhat
hurtful to our organization,” the letter reads. “The Salvation Army
has worked diligently to be a good neighbor and we take it to heart
when someone is displeased or upset. We would like to take a moment
to clarify some issues and concerns from our perspective.”
The letter goes on to say funding for the purchase of the
property comes from legacies and wills, not from kettle
contributions, mail appeal or other standard forms of fundraising.
Moreover, plans are not under way for a shelter or a thrift store
at the new facility.
“Historically, Salvation Army facilities do not reduce property
values,” the letter said, adding “youth programs are well-managed
and supervised. Transportation will be provided for those who do
not have it.”
When contacted for additional comment Sunday night, Captain
Deborah Weigner echoed the sentiments contained in the
advertisement.
These statements come, at least in part, as an answer to a swell
of opposition from area residents, some of whom went so far as to
draft a petition against the sale after a small news article
appeared in The Era last summer inviting residents to attend a
meeting on the matter.
The Weigners explained last summer and again in today’s letter
that the move, on their part, is meant to help accommodate the
organization’s growth and expansion.
“Because of the increased needs of this community, the Bradford
Salvation Army has outgrown its current facility. From feeding
programs for children, to women’s ministry activities, to social
service support, the Bradford Salvation Army is teeming with
activity,” the letter said.
“But, given its current location,” the letter goes on, “outreach
is severely limited and growth is impossible.”
As Epstein alluded to earlier, the Temple’s congregation, on the
other hand, has seriously decreased over the years.
When the idea of The Salvation Army buying the Temple building
first came to light last June, David Zuckerman, president of Temple
at that time, wrote a letter to the editor at The Era detailing the
congregation’s reasons for moving.
Zuckerman said when the Temple started in the 1960s, there were
more than 300 members compared to the 30 today. As such,
maintaining the building and affording a rabbis’ leadership had
become financially impossible.
James E. Scanlan of Jackson Avenue -ðthe man who drafted a
letter last June to Mike Mitchell, chairman of the Bradford
Salvation Army advisory board, officially stating his opposition to
having The Salvation Army relocate to Jackson Avenue – said Sunday
night he was “not pleased to hear (about the move) to say the
least.”
“I tried to convey to The Salvation Army that I felt this (the
temple building) was a poor location for them,” Scanlan said. He
went on to say that across western Pennsylvania, Salvation Army
Corps are not typically located in residential neighborhoods, but
instead in business districts.
“This is not anywhere near their targeted service group,”
Scanlan said. “They have been made aware that they were really seen
as a detriment to the neighborhood and (if relocated to Jackson
Avenue) ultimately a detriment to Bradford. I don’t think you will
find anyone who wants to buy a piece of property next to The
Salvation Army.”
“I have seen the building on Kennedy Street continue to
deteriorate and I expect they (Salvation Army officials) will do
likewise to this facility,” Scanlan said. “The Salvation Army has a
bad track record for keeping its property up. It will mean this
neighborhood will lose value.”
When asked if he would continue his opposition in any formal
way, Scanlan replied, “I’ll have to look at what options are
available. I’m very disappointed to hear this. This will be a
terrible blow to the neighborhood and ultimately to Bradford.”
William Runyan of Sanford Street, who signed Scanlan’s letter,
said Sunday night “It doesn’t make much difference to me. I would
just like to see it (the Temple building) be used.”
At least one other resident who signed the letter declined to
comment, and another resident cited illness as preventing her from
being able to comment. Messages left for some of the other
neighborhood residents who signed Scanlan’s letter were not
immediately returned Sunday night.
There was a total of 15 names, including Scanlan’s, on the
letter to Mitchell.
