(rshsdepot) Sweetwater, TX

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Gravity Racing Association seeks to restore historical railroad building

By Kimberly Gray

The Sweetwater Reporter News Editor

The Gravity Racing Association of Sweetwater has expressed the desire to
lease the T&P Package Express building that has been on the City of
Sweetwater's condemnation list for over a year.

During a city commission meeting Tuesday morning Weston Pyburn, the
association's director, started off by thanking the city for taking the
building off the condemnation list. He had asked city officials to do so
over a year ago, because he believes the building has historical value for
Sweetwater.

If placed on the condemnation list, the city would give Union Pacific
(formerly known as T&P) the option of getting the building up to code or
demolishing it. "I believe they will probably demolish the building," Pyburn
told city commissioners.

That is why Pyburn and his organization wish to lease the building from
Union Pacific and use the building for storage space for the Sweetwater
Gravity Racing Association. "Other groups had talked about saving the
building and nothing was ever done, so we thought our solution could save
the building and help us as well," Pyburn explained.

"We really want to continue growing the sport here in Sweetwater, and I
believe extra storage space would help," he told commissioners. Pyburn's own
building located along Oak Street can no longer hold all soap box derby cars
and racing equipment. "We now store things at members' houses," he said.

Pyburn addressed the city commission Tuesday to request for the help in
getting them the lease. "We want the lease to be between the Gravity Racing
Association and Union Pacific, but would like for the city to be our
facilitator," he explained.

Pyburn stated that he thought the city's influence and knowledge of the
people involved would help the association get in touch with the right
people and therefore help it get the lease on the building. The association
plans to put before Union Pacific the possibility of the association leasing
the building for $1 per year.

"Once we lease the building, we hope the city will allow the Gravity Racing
Association the time to raise funds in order to purchase materials to get
the building up to code," Pyburn explained. The group plans to restore the
building up to code themselves. He told city commissioners that he thinks
they can get it brought up to code within a year and a half, if the fund
raising campaign is successful.

"If we are able to lease the building then it depends on the response from
the community when we attempt to raise the necessary funds to repair the
building," Pyburn said.

"We will try to keep the historical integrity of the building intact when
restoring it," Pyburn pointed out. He added that the association would
terminate the lease of the building and allow Union Pacific to use it, if
they need it for anything such as a passenger train service in the future.

The Gravity Racing Association, which started out as having only one race,
will have a total of five races this year during three weekends, according
to Pyburn. There will be two full races each during a Spring and Fall Rally.
The Spring Rally, which will be called the "Don't Mess with Texas
Challenge," will be held May 11-12. The Texas Midwest Soap Box Derby will be
held for the sixth year on June 15.

Mayor Jay Lawrence expressed appreciation to the association for growing the
sport of gravity racing in Sweetwater and, as a result, bringing people into
Sweetwater for racing events.

The city commission approved the request to help the Sweetwater Gravity
Racing Association and expressed support for such a quest. "I really
appreciate your initiative," City Commissioner Larry May said.

City Manager David Maddox said that if the Gravity Racing Association of
Sweetwater gets control of the building, repairs it and uses it for storage,
"everybody is a winner."

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