When presented with two options—one that saved Fire Station No. 7 and one that demolished it, Roanoke City Council opted 6-to-1 to tear it down.

This is, of course, disheartening. The decision seemed to hinge on a few key questions about the design that would have saved this landmark—would the location of equipment bays cause serious wear-and-tear on vehicles? Would the layout delay response times? If so, could these issues be addressed through design revisions?

In just a week or two, we think we could have found answers, but city leaders weren’t waiting. And, now, for many Roanokers, Fire Station No. 7 will be remembered like other demolished structures—Victory Stadium, the American Theater, and Huff Lane Elementary—all gone forever.

That said, the public response has been tremendous. Thousands of people spoke up, asking the city to give the station a fighting chance. We can debate on whether or not that actually happened , but no matter what, you made a tremendous impact!

You told city officials that preservation must be part of their decision making from day one. You showed them that citizens will settle for nothing less. Thank you for your advocacy and your passion. You are truly inspiring.