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Mt. Hope News
John M. Twomey
Greater Camp Concerned Citizens
Culture in the Park
On August 28th the Providence Black Repertory Theatre performed in Billy Taylor Park as part of Harambee 2004, a celebration of youth in the community. Local dance troupes preformed, children participated in a community arts project, vendors provided free food, and live bands kicked off the dancing. The event was a resounding success and a good time was had by all. The event sponsors included the Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism and the Department of Public Parks, The Providence Black Repertory Theatre, Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, and the City of Providence, Mayor David N. Cicilline.
Progress Report
City departments moved forward, after much prodding, and made more progress on the G.C.C.C. initiatives proposed in the past 18 months and itemized in our meeting of May 24th, 2004.
The Parks Department’s Unsightly Mess Beneath the Cypress Street Overpass:
Public works finally came and cleaned up the street and sidewalk, pulling waist-high weeds and picking up accumulated trash. After at least a year of neglect, the clean up took approximately one and a half hours, after constant pressure from G.C.C.C. and the Office of Neighborhood Services.
Deputy Superintendent of Parks McMahon has still not met his commitment to repair the fence under the overpass that has been in disrepair for years despite repeated calls from G.C.C.C. and the Office of Neighborhood Services and despite his repeated promises to get the job done by Labor Day. On September 24th, it will be exactly four months since Mr. McMahon attended our meeting and promised Mt. Hope residents that he would see to it that the needed maintenance would get done and get done in a timely fashion.
Good news and bad news from Traffic Engineering: The good news first: T.E. installed the needed Stop Signs on Camp Street at the Jenkins Street intersection thereby creating a three way stop. The neighborhood felt the success and impact of the Stop Signs immediately as vehicles that formerly reached speeds of 40+ mph between Cypress and Doyle must now come to a complete stop just about halfway between these two main streets. Given the number of pedestrians, including children and elderly, who traverse the Camp Street Corridor, Camp Street just became a much safer street.
More good news: T.E. painted and repainted pedestrian crosswalks along Camp Street and some side streets.
The bad news: T.E. did not paint the much-needed crosswalks at upper and lower Pleasant Street as called for in G.C.C.C.’s Traffic Proposal. Many school-age children use Camp Street and upper and lower Pleasant Street coming and going to and from school, and these crosswalks and accompanying signs are essential to their safety.
More bad news: T.E. did not install any of the promised Yield to Pedestrian in Crosswalk signs. We have a call in to the Office of Neighborhood Services regarding this oversight.
A Permanent Grill on a Temporary Basis?
The Parks Department installed a permanent grill in Billy Taylor Park in mid-August. Given that in August of 2002, the abutters of Billy Taylor Park delivered a petition signed by all the abutters of the park opposing such grills we were justifiably surprised. A call was put in to the Parks Department’s Mr. McMahon who told us that the grill was put there on a temporary basis to “see how it goes”.
A permanent grill on a temporary basis? That sounds like a page out of the Military Intelligence Manual─a wonderfully complete oxymoron.
I just came from the park, and as I write this, not far from the grill, but on the toddler’s playground, lay a broken bottle of Boone’s Farm wine, the sharp, jagged glass waiting for some tender foot or knee to slash. In addition, on entering the park I passed an empty bottle of Remy Martin VSOP lying in the grass, just waiting for someone to pick up, throw, and shatter. We residents are weekly witness to drug deals, dice games, and public intoxication in Billy Taylor Park, and our community police cannot seem to keep a lid on these activities.
Anyone who questions the veracity of these statements need only accompany me on any given morning to the park at 8:00 AM to witness the detritus of the previous evening’s debauchery.
The signers of the no-grill petition, both individually and as a group, are outraged over how this administration, secretly and without notification, implemented a project that was vociferously opposed by those whom it most affects. The signers take it as a collective slap in the face from the Cicilline administration, especially in light of the fact that on August 19th, 30 days ago, we delivered a cover letter, addressing this issue, and a copy of the petition to Mayor Cicilline: as of today we have not received the courtesy of a response.
The grill is still there and the broken bottles pile up, for the temporary employee who cleans the park during summer months is only employed till the end of August.
What are they thinking? Someone, anyone from the Cicilline administration please tell us.
If you have neighborhood news, information, or announcements you would like included in these articles, or for information on Greater Camp Concerned Citizens call Irene at 640-8076, or e-mail jmkt7(at)cox.net.
Posted by RoyKao at 03:29 PM | Comments (0)
