Why do things have to change? Why can't they stay the same?

Every time I go back to Seattle I repeatedly ask these questions. Although isolated, I had so much fun in seattle as a kid. Things were different and unique. In the late 70s, early 80s, Seattle was crippled economically, which actually made for the best place to grow up in - it was a constant. Nothing ever changed - rarely were things built or torn down. In the 90s that all started to change and every time I go back, the town seems less like the place I where grew up.

I have been thinking a lot today about Seattle Center, non seattlites will know it as the location of the Space Needle. Seattlites my age will know it best as the site of school field trips (Pacific Science Center and Fun Forest), concerts (the awesome Bumbershoot festival - Rock! Arena, and giant shows at the coliseum - now Key Arena) and the snackapalooza that is the Center House (or Food Circus as locals call it).

The Seattle Center was the home of the 1962 world's fair (for viewing see It Happened at the World's Fair starring Elvis and a little chinese girl), for which most of the buildings were constructed. For years after, not much changed - things were painted, sponsorship logos removed but even in the 80s you could still feel the ghosts of the fair. So much so that I get de ja vu when I see footage and it was 14 years before my birth! The best relic of the fair was the "bubbleator". A globe shaped clear elevator that moved people from the 1st to the 2nd floor of the Food Circus. By the late 80s the bubbleator was in total disrepair and instead of fixing it the city decided to get rid of it. I have often wondered what happened to it and after some searching on google, now I know:

Bubbleator Then:


Bubbleator Now:


It just makes me kind of sad - so I say again - Why do things have to change? Why can't they stay the same?