This lovely mansion is in MY neighborhood. Obviously MY house looks like a shack next to this massive creation. Equally as obvious is that I don't OWN the neighborhood . . . but sometimes it feels like the block club in our neighborhood does!
A perfect example of the power our neighborhood block club has is the last two weeks. Two weekends ago, the hardworking city employees were laboring in that awful 95+ degree humid heat we were suffering. They were laboring in our neighborhood! The eyebrows were raised as the center lines were cut out of the street and new yellow lines were painted about 2 feet over. What were they doing? One resident was told a shared road was being created and "No Parking" signs were soon to be installed!
In my old suburban home, that news would have caused a bit of tongue wagging but no action from the local residents. There was no point in taking action because the city council in my old neighborhood would not have listened to much the residents had to say. But here in my little neighborhood close to the Capitol, it's a different story. Here the City officials take notice when our block club raises a ruckus.
Last fall the head of the City street engineers met with us to go over some neighborhood concerns over speed and parking. A study was done of speeds and number of cars through our neighborhood. Only 1450 cars a day passed my home on an average day, and our neighborhood knew most of those were State employees looking for short cuts to the highway. Not only did we find out how many cars passed by, but what speeds they went: 39% traveled 21-25 mph; 36% 26-30 mph; 8% 31-34 mph; and 1% went over 35 mph! (Mental note: The next time I pass one of those double rubber hoses, the City is checking my speed! Big brother is watching for sure!) The City officials told us an unusual number of cars was in compliance with the speed limit and the parking will be left as it currently is. I came away from that meeting truly impressed with the City's responsiveness to our neighborhood concerns.
But this week, the "No Parking" signs went up with no warning to the residents. Now, pray tell, where are our guests going to park? Three blocks away in a State or hospital ramp? I don't think so! The hue and cry went out. Residents have written letters. Just a few days later a meeting has been arranged with our block club and the City officials to share our gripes, complaints, concerns! The "No Parking" signs have been taken down temporarily until the issue is resolved!
St. Paul is a "big" city. It has 200,000+ residents and they care about our neighborhood? The little suburb we lived in before had less than an eighth of that population and the city never responded like that! I wonder if I'll ever get over the shock of living in a big city that responds to the little neighborhoods!
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