Quick! What was acquired 47 years ago as state property, then put into the hands of the predecessor of the current Department of Management (DEM) for development? What has remained virtually vacant for 37 years with only an inchoate “plan” at present? Answer: The  dairy barn at Colt State Park.

So, along came Bristol resident Patrick Conley, chair of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame (RIHOF) who with his  unpaid board of directors proposed the use of the historic barn for the permanent home of  the  State’s Hall of Fame. With such notables as Alan Hassenfeld and Vartan Gregorian supporting the proposal, Mr. Conley outlined the raising of $3 million privately to rehab the site of the  deteriorating but architecturally significant structure which was built by Hall of Fame inductee Samuel Pomeroy Colt. Instead of finding a way to save the building the Director of DEM refused the gift of several million dollars and the creation of a public destination within a public destination  for tourists and Rhode islanders alike.

The two  reasons for the refusal were gossamer thin. The DEM speculated about some type of exhibit telling the story of the RI Park history. That, of course, would cost taxpayer money which is non-existent and would be pretty boring when compared with the dynamic exhibits glorifying the lives and achievements of Rhode island’s leaders. Ironically, the history of parks would also be covered because of some of the inductees' accomplishments in that effort.

The second excuse for torpedoing the proposal alleges that the National Parks Service states that the use of park lands can’t be used for activities that are inconsistent with outdoor recreation. Such a reading is much too constrained. In effect it baptizes the present use of the barn for storing picnic tables. If DEM’s interpretation was correct than DEM’s own thought about a history of the parks would be verboten as well.

This latter excuse is lame. The Blackstone River State Park has the Captain Wilbur Kelly House and and the Beavertail Light has the Light House Museum. Colt Park itself is adjacent to Coggeshall Farm. If anything, the RI Heritage Hall of Fame exhibit would attract grants to highlight the very history of RI parks along with other  exhibits ad seriatum at the site.

What we have here is the inertia of the state and constipated thinking. There is no reason on God’s green earth to preclude this  viable alternative to a building which has been shuttered for 47 years. The DEM director should reconsider her negative response to the proposal. It’s actually a win-win  for the state and taxpayers since it would be privately funded. The state has let the barn deteriorate  for close to a half-century. It should get out of the way and let the public interest-oriented board members of RIHOF implement the project.

Mr. Conley recently reminded me of an inscription in Latin over the main entrance to the Barn. It reads “Vincit Qui Patitur,” which means “persistence conquers all”. Here’s hoping that the excellent proposal tendered by the Board of Directors wins out by its persistence. Yet, it would be nice if the Governor and her DEM chief reconsidered and removed the obstacles thrown up to block the public-spirited directors on the Hall of Fame Board.

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.