Councilwoman Diane Toliver had requested a council discussion of conditions at Park & Seventh after seeing them first-hand while volunteering at a Democratic campaign office there. Toliver said she walked along Park Avenue to Front Street and found people fighting, selling drugs and urinating in public.
Financial Plaza at Park & Front, newly renovated in 2008
Police Director Carl Riley said Tuesday he had benches removed from the Front Street corner, saying "resources were being wasted there." in dealing with the loiterers.
Chess table saved in 2005 renovations
"The crew that plays chess is no concern," Riley said.
In 2012, former Police Director Martin Hellwig had a bench removed from Park & Seventh because people were sleeping on it, drinking and having loud, profanity-laced arguments that were frightening away shoppers.
Riley said police were trying to use "positive engagement" with the individuals causing nuisances.
Toliver also cited the Park Hotel, a state-licensed home for adults, as a source of problems and said officials might "perhaps enlighten the owners."
Riley said he and Deputy City Administrator Carlos Sanchez met with operators of the Park Hotel and things improved at Park & Seventh, but now, Riley said, they will have a meeting regarding the situation at Park & Front.
Both locations are shopping destinations and merchants have also asked for help in deterring loitering and panhandling.
It would be ideal to have a greater police presence downtown, officers walking the beat to hopefully deter those with any thoughts of ill will.
ReplyDeleteAlso, more lighting, especially in the Chase Bank plaza and directly across the street where the checker/chess tables live.
Speaking of nuisances, it's time to address the droves of men standing on corners all throughout the downtown. It's an all-around eyesore and it's not the first impression anyone should have of our hometown. The lying on benches, huddling in alleys, sitting on fences, crouching on curbs for blocks upon blocks is quite a disturbing site and it's time to do something about it!
THEY NEED TO BRING BACK THE ELITE C.O.P UNIT LED BY LT. REID
DeleteCouple of things...
ReplyDeleteI would be really surprised is the "Parkies" are coming down to Front Street. While some work in sheltered workshops, those who do not or cannot have lots of free time on their hands. The management cannot force them to stay inside, so they wander...and panhandle some (though less than they used to). Quite a number of the residents have been parishioners at Grace Church over the years. I think much of the hostility towards comes from not knowing them personally.
The drinking and disturbances are not from the Parkies, far as I know. These two issues should not be conflated.
My other question concerns the photos. Wasn't that triangle designated the Albert T. McWilliams Plaza after his passing and while his daughter Annie was on the Council? Too bad there's no plaque or marker.
I have two posts on that issue. It was approved and funds were to be raised for an unspecified marker.
Deletehttp://plaintalker.blogspot.com/2008/03/gibson-pulls-memorial-resolution.html
http://plaintalker.blogspot.com/2009/02/late-mayor-mcwilliams-to-be-honored.html
As a somewhat older pedestrian, I hate to see benches throughout the city continue to disappear due to riff-raff. There really should be more police on old fashioned beats downtown to curtail the problems rather than inconveniencing the rest of the citizens.
ReplyDeleteDo not even think of going out for coffee on the weekend without being swamped by "Children" forced by their parents to COLLECT for their Sports Teams! Basically it is for the hotel rooms the parents stay in when the go to a Travel Game. We might as well sell the parks we have in town, all the good teams are out of state.
ReplyDeleteNO YOU DIDN'T STOP
ReplyDeleteYOU SHOULD PUT THE PANHANDLERS IN THE OUT OF TOWN TAXI'S AND SEND THEM AWAY LOL
ReplyDelete