There has been a lot of chatter lately about proposed changes to the park on Glenwood that stretches from Columbus Drive to Ross Avenue. Some of those suggestions have been: curbs to eliminate parking, a playground, picnic tables, benches, etc. Many of us that live on Glenwood have talked and have major reservations about those kinds of changes quite yet. Unless you live on Glenwood you don’t see the constant stream of vagrants and less than desirable individuals that pass through 24/7. There was at one time (as most I’m sure remember) a bench that was at the corner of Glenwood and Frances by the Tampa Tribune box. Nine times out of ten there was a vagrant sitting on it with a quart bottle of beer in a brown paper bag. Once they finished drinking and passed out we were always left with multiple bags and beer bottles nicely thrown in a pile behind the bench.
As for the curbs to eliminate parking - that would be a major travesty during the rainy season. Try driving North on Glenwood between Park and Frances after a bad rain storm and have fun sailing through our pond that forms and takes hours to drain. Also the curbs would make it impossible for those of us on this one-way street to ever have friends or family over because where would they park? We don’t have the luxury of a two-way street like everyone else in Ridgewood Park where we can line cars up and down the whole length of the street on both sides.
The original purpose of us reforming a neighborhood group was because of the constant crime that was going on down Glenwood and through out our neighborhood. We were dealing with non-stop car thefts and vandalism, home burglaries, etc.
First: We need to do whatever we can to make Ridgewood a safer place to live and raise our children. Better lighting, keeping trees trimmed for better visibility, watching our alleys, etc. Playground equipment, picnic tables, benches are only going to draw those less than desirable people back for right now and give them a place to sleep besides under the bridge at North Boulevard.
Second: We will of course make it a more beautiful and aesthetically appealing place to live one step at a time. We should all take a few minutes when we can to pitch in our ideas, and work together to make this a neighborhood we can all brag about!
As for the curbs to eliminate parking - that would be a major travesty during the rainy season. Try driving North on Glenwood between Park and Frances after a bad rain storm and have fun sailing through our pond that forms and takes hours to drain. Also the curbs would make it impossible for those of us on this one-way street to ever have friends or family over because where would they park? We don’t have the luxury of a two-way street like everyone else in Ridgewood Park where we can line cars up and down the whole length of the street on both sides.
The original purpose of us reforming a neighborhood group was because of the constant crime that was going on down Glenwood and through out our neighborhood. We were dealing with non-stop car thefts and vandalism, home burglaries, etc.
First: We need to do whatever we can to make Ridgewood a safer place to live and raise our children. Better lighting, keeping trees trimmed for better visibility, watching our alleys, etc. Playground equipment, picnic tables, benches are only going to draw those less than desirable people back for right now and give them a place to sleep besides under the bridge at North Boulevard.
Second: We will of course make it a more beautiful and aesthetically appealing place to live one step at a time. We should all take a few minutes when we can to pitch in our ideas, and work together to make this a neighborhood we can all brag about!
