Left The 7th Ward

[AllanY2525]

Thanks for all of the wonderful info, Peggy.....I read the Vindy website, this board
and the local tv news sites to try and keep up...some of the Facebook groups, too.
It really is amazing to see all of the progress the last couple of years.

[Towntalk]

No it is not a long post but it is a super great post that proves that the 4th and 5th Wards are not the only areas that are working to a greater Youngstown. Thank you my friend, thank you from the very depths of my hreart.

[Peggy Gurney]

Oh yes, it is getting much better.  An influx of young couples have been buying the old houses, some of which were on the demo list, and restoring them.
Robert Pilloli has purchased 3 houses - the one his family lives in and 2 others; Joe and Rachel Parent purchased 2 houses; Amber Beall purchased a house that she's been restoring over the past 3 years; and so on.

Further north, the Upper North Side neighborhood association (east side of Fifth to Kensington, and Gypsy Ln. south to Redondo) have been holding multiple cleanup days to clean out the dead brush, trash, and tires from the east side of Crandall Park, and plan to (with the City's approval) make a walking trail through those woods, that would connect to the walking trail on the west side of Fifth that goes around the developed part of Crandall Park and leads to the pond and play grounds. A large undertaking, for sure.

In the meantime, Crandall Park North (CPN) and Crandall Park South (CPS) are working to clean up and beautify our neighborhoods, and restore the 2 pavilions. CPS has already helped to fund the new roof on the pavilion at Tod Lane, as well as a few aesthetic improvements. We'll be working with them, and the city, to bring some improvements to the pavilion on Redondo. That one will be a much bigger job.

On August 9th, CPN is hosting a north side potluck picnic for all north side neighbors!  Our community police officer, Barbara Copeland, will be there, as well as our councilman Nate Pinkard. ALL north side neighbors are invited to attend and bring a dish and their family.  The reason for the picnic, other than just having a good time and getting to know our neighbors, is 2-fold. #1 getting to know Ofc Copeland, and #2, to introduce the idea of a North Side Neighbors Coalition. The coalition would work and be much like the 7WCC.  It's an exciting prospect.

Wow, LONG post!   

[AllanY2525]

It's changed a lot since I lived there then. I lived in the neighborhood directly behind the apartment complex you're living in.
Cochran Park neighborhood.

When I first came back to Youngstown in 2005, I could hardly believe my eyes when I
visited the Wick Park neighborhood, where I grew up.  I lived in  Parkway Tower many
years ago when it was still filled with people and in good shape and was really shocked
to see it empty.

Every other house I ever lived in on the north side has been demolished.  On the up
side, the Wick Park area has slowly getting better since then.

[Peggy Gurney]

It's changed a lot since I lived there then. I lived in the neighborhood directly behind the apartment complex you're living in.
Cochran Park neighborhood.

[Towntalk]

Odd Peggy, it is just the very opposite for me. It is so peaceful here that its great. No gunshots every night, no gangs roaming up and down the street yelling at all hours of the night. What can I say? Each of us must do what is best for us.

[Peggy Gurney]

And I moved out of the south side to the north side because we heard gun fire almost every day and my son was scared to death.
It is nice a peaceful up here, great neighbors and great neighborhood.

[AllanY2525]

Yes, I do Towntalk....many years ago I lived right next door to that building... we
had the same landlord and the two buildings needed a lot of work even then. Sadly,
there are problem areas all over the city and things vary from one neighborhood
to the hext on the same side of town.

[Towntalk]

Allan knows what I had to put up with at the other place. I'll say no more.

[Towntalk]

There are always people like her. Shoot one our own members moved over to another side of town because she didn't feel safe where she was livng in the 7th. I moved out of the North Sde because our neghborhood was going down fast. That didn't say that I felt compelled to come on here and make a big issue of it. Every time I turned around there was another arson fire, a store keeper was robbed and beaten, a night didn't go by that we heard gun shots. Over here where I'm living it's quiet and peaceful, the complex is beautful, no gunshots at night. The exact opposite to what I had to put up with on the North Side. If I crave a Subway in the evening no worrys about gong there.

[jay]

I was sad to learn that she left the city and the 7th ward.  In the past, she had been an active member of the 7wcc.

[Towntalk]

Does that make you happy that you can bash the 7th Ward. Did you see us point out all the arrests in the West Side relating to Chld Porn?

[jay]

I met a woman this afternoon who moved to Boardman from the 7th ward.  She stated that things were getting too bad in her former Brownlee Woods neighborhood so she left.