Customer Service Place an Ad Become a Carrier Contact Us About Us Mobile Edition E-Mail Updates Report Cancellation Submit Milestone
| Subscribe Now Customer Service Place an Ad Become a Carrier Contact Us About Us Mobile Edition E-Mail Updates Report Cancellation Submit Milestone
|
 |
 |
|
Weather  Calendar Obituaries Classifieds Jobs Autos Homes Rentals Coupons Ad Center Gift Finder |
Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
|
Home News Sports
Free Time Life Money Nation/World Opinion Blogs/Columns Archives Site Map |
| NewsFriday, October 19, 2007 11:43 PM CDT |
 Comments (2) |  E-mail this page |  Print this page |  Enlarge type |  Reduce type |  Search archives |  RSS feeds |  Add to My Yahoo! |
Downtown Bloomingotn residents may start neighborhood watch
BLOOMINGTON — More condominium owners in downtown Bloomington could lead to a neighborhood watch for the district. As the downtown residential population grows and becomes more stable with property owners instead of tenants, the time may be right to create the neighborhood watch, watch organizer Jan Lancaster said. “We are looking for residents who will look out for their block,” said Lancaster, a downtown resident and owner of the Bistro, a downtown bar, and Lancaster’s Fine Dining, a downtown restaurant. Discussions on developing the downtown’s neighborhood watch will continue Tuesday during the Downtown Bloomington Association’s quarterly meeting, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ensenberger Building in the 200 block of North Center Street. By having an active neighborhood watch, downtown officials hope to shed the perception that the district is dangerous after dark. “But it’s more than safety; it’s about building community,” said Peggy Flynn, the association’s executive director. “We have to better establish our residents association because we do have a growing base.” While keeping an eye out for those who tip over flower pots will be part of the neighborhood watch’s duties, members also could have their hands full with issues unique to downtown, said David White, the neighborhood watch coordinator for Bloomington Police Department. Bar traffic and homeless people are issues other neighborhood watches do not have to contend with as much as the downtown does, White said. “They have special issues and special problems. I’m not sure how it is going to work for them,” White said. Lancaster said a core group of about 10 residents is working together to solve those problems as they try to get started. The district has its Downtown Residents Association, which Lancaster said tried three to four years ago to start a neighborhood watch. But it was tough getting people interested because most residents in downtown were renters. The increase in condos has more people who own their own homes, and that gives them more interest in downtown, she said. Already, the core group is looking to partner with local social service agencies on how to work with the homeless population in downtown, Lancaster said. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
|
||||||
|
 |
|
Top of Page | Home | News | Sports | Free Time | Life | Money | Nation/World | Opinion | Blogs/Columns | Archives | Site Map | RSS
Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323
Copyright © 2009, Pantagraph Publishing Co. and Lee Enterprises. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
|