I don’t know how to not be snarky about this. It’s well-intended. It’s an area in dire need to love and care. Yet, I have my doubts about how thorough this section will be shined up, and how this effort will be maintained. After all, the small bank that had been “cleaned” a few weeks ago already contains litter; this visible spot with bright yellow flowers seems the easiest to maintain, but it’s openly neglected. It’s below a banner that declares “Hartford Cares.”
This area along Capitol Avenue has been one that has long caused me to bristle with resentment toward the mostly unhelpful 311 service, the irresponsible State of Connecticut, and various folks in the City of Hartford who are ready to pass the blame. Why should anyone want to address an area that reeks of urine and is so neglected that an abandoned sofa sat in plain view on the sidewalk for nearly two weeks before being moved, not to mention the numerous tires and other large trashed items that remain — for years — dumped behind a fence that is in remarkable disrepair? Why should anyone want to address a stretch of road that contains no street lighting, so that anyone trying to walk it at night has legitimate reason to worry? After writing about the iQuilt presentation, I find this matter even more infuriating. Bushnell Park is well-lit at night. An area of town that would be used more by residents than by visitors is dangerously dark, and seemingly not a priority to address. And I should know because I’ve often stumbled along the sidewalk here, unable to see what was underfoot, nevermind if someone was hanging out under the bridge. True, I could use Park Street instead, but I don’t think I’m being unreasonable by expecting a major thoroughfare to be usable after sunset.
So, I want to like this whole Corridor of Hope project. In the past month, I’ve seen a concrete wall get painted white, then painted yellow and blue with black swirls. Yellow flowers have been planted, a considerable amount of light litter (bottles and food wrappers) have been removed, and the sidewalks have been swept. But also in the process, two planks of wood have been removed from below the train bridge, which served a purpose — pedestrians could precariously walk on them instead of having to walk through the perma-puddle/perma-sludge that accumulates on the sidewalk to such an extent that one can’t easily tiptoe around it or leap over it. I don’t know who removed these somewhat bootleg bridges, but they served a purpose. Anyone who regularly walks the area would know that.
The next phase of the Corridor of Hope project is slated for this weekend:
Come together with a number of enthusiastic leaders to participate in a special LGH [Leadership Greater Hartford]– Hartford Cares Event on Saturday, July 18, 2009 from 8:30 am – 1:00 pm. Help sweep away debris, cut grass and plant flowers, as well as paint a hope-inspiring mural to create a Corridor of Hope on Capitol Avenue.
This event is a partnership with Knox Park Foundation and Hands on Hartford, and is supported by the City of Hartford and the Morningstar Fund of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
Again, this seems well-intended, but the work involved in truly fixing this area is going to require more commitment and more than just sweeping debris or light gardening. The turquoise toilet that I blogged about in mid-April is still in this spot, though it’s in several pieces now. There’s major trash to remove that will take more than a few rakes.
My hope is that this project is more than a feel-good initiative. My hope is that all parties involved understand that prettying something up on two or three occasions and then walking away does not, in fact, inspire hope in pedestrians who use this area. My hope is that more people begin to pressure the State of Connecticut and the City of Hartford to actually care for this area, which both have wantonly neglected for years.
Chris
It appears as of this afternoon that the sofa wasn’t removed from the area but simply moved from the sidewalk on the south side of Capitol Ave to the tie-and-toilet dumping area on the north side. It’s too bad, I almost thought the powers that be had finally done something about this nasty stretch of road
kerri provost
Why would they? It’s not in the Hartford Business Improvement District. In the BID boundaries, there is *daily* sidewalk cleaning. The paid cleaners actually walk around picking up cigarette butts. That’s great, but when other parts of the city don’t ever get cleaned, it’s actually pretty crappy.
The Hartford BID lists these as their services:
” * Daily sidewalk and street cleaning
* Daily patrols by Safety Ambassadors
* Regular hospitality van service providing auto lockout service, jumpstarts and tire changing
* Seasonal beautification of the streetscape
* Removal of graffiti within 24 hours
* Streetscape maintenance and improvements
* Daily inspection of district streets for deficiencies (broken sidewalks, vandalism, graffiti) and reporting to appropriate City staff
* Focused marketing and promotion of the business district highlighting the district as a retail destination
* Development of promotional materials and district public relations”
John
Keri,
The Hartford BID has nothing to do with the city’s neglect of that area along Captiol Ave.
The BID is paid for by the major property owners in downtown, not the CITY!!! The BID was created by a referendum of the downtown property owners, who voted to assess themselves an additional 1 mill to pay for the BID’s programs.
Accordingly, the city has plenty of time to clean the other parts of town.
kerri provost
I’m not blaming the BID for the city’s neglect of the area. I’m pointing out how the BID’s extreme care for two sections is a slap in the face to people living in and using other sections of the city. I don’t know why, however, the businesses (“property owners”) do not see the value in caring for major routes that potential consumers would use to reach downtown and Asylum Hill. Capitol Avenue is a major route, as are Maple, Wethersfield, New Britain, and Albany.
Richard
Thank you Kerri. I wondered where our bridge had gone. Will have to look around and see if I can find a long board somewhere. That is a very important part of getting from one side to the other. I was just wondering the same thing this AM and had planned to question it over at HIMC. Again only those of us who live here and walk there would know about the bridge and certainly know about the seeping sludge water and why we wouldn’t want to walk in it.
I still want to go back to the discussion over at Hartford IMC about sanctioned art and non sanctioned art, about the covering over of the young people’s art but the art that will be presented by LGH is okay. There is more to this story.
Look how long it took for the city to mow and trim Pope Park compared to Bushnell, etc. But the piles of branches are still there as of last week. Hey, Knox wasn’t it you who piled these up months ago on one of your “We care days.” How about getting rid of the piles and finish your caring.
Wonder where and who came up with the “Corridor of Hope?” Gad, I’ve got to get out of here.
kerri provost
I need to take a more careful look, but passing by yesterday evening, it looked like nothing changed in the spot. I was away, so maybe it rained or something on Saturday when people were supposed to paint. Or maybe they got caught up in removing the main eyesores down there…I’ll have to check it out when I walk home after work.
(I’m keeping my eyes open for a board that’ll make a suitable replacement bridge)
EmGee
I was signed up for the clean up–it was canceled Friday due to predicted inclement weather. Too bad, since it didn’t rain at all after the overnight hours. It’s not rescheduled yet, as far as I know, but some LGH people are planning to work on the mural Wednesday PM.
kerri provost
Thanks for the update!
Richard
Maybe the LGH people will bring our bridge back.
kerri provost
Hey Richard, This morning I noticed that the Hartford Cares banner was gone. Does this means Hartford Cares stopped caring, or that someone stole it? Hmm…the mystery thickens.
Richard
yeah we noticed the banner was gone yesterday. A storm had taken in down (I think) as it was laying on the sidewalk last weekend in a crumpled mess.
Maybe someone did take it. Those types of banners are excellent for painting over and making large protest banners. So maybe it will be put to good use.
When we were out walking we found a good plank to replace our neighborhood bridge. We placed it under the trestle. Check it out.
Over at our reborn blog we want to study out this issue more. Sanctioned art and non sanctioned, culturally acceptable and culturally acceptable counter culture, non acceptable art and thats not art, outsiders and the neighbors. Should be fun. That essay will come after one we are working on now concerning the newest worry wart plauge, Swine Flu.
Oh one last thing to any outside cleaners. Please leave our plank bridge alone. Please pass this message on.
kerri provost
The bridge is fabulous!
Sustainability guide Climatarians
Hi Kerri, thanks for that informative post. Yes, it is sometimes so difficult to digest these things. Nobody seems to take things seriously. We sometimes have to wonder how people can be so callous towards their own neighborhood. A disorganized way of doing things is never going to get things done as you say. It needs much more commitment.
Thought provoking post!
Joost Hoogstrate
Real Hartford » “Corridor of Hope” Update
[…] before Forest Street has been dubbed the Corridor of Hope. For more background, dig through the archive […]
Oh Art Oh-Part 1 « A Few Queers on the prowl
[…] For an excellant review on the painting of the mural and the Capitol Ave area click over to Kerri’s blog, Real Hartford and read, Hope The Remove The Toliet. […]
Oh Art Oh-Part 2 « A Few Queers on the prowl
[…] you missed Part 1 (P.S you should really read it too) on the Sanctioned art of Capitol Ave click here, here, and here. Sorry but we can only say that this wall looks like it is covering something up […]