Today, Hartford smells like a long sigh.

The murals everywhere are great . . . but . . . paint can only do so much.

When will other improvements be funded?

Why are there not sidewalks along this street? I ask this over and over.

The parallel street — Bartholomew Avenue — which already had sidewalks, was given new treatments. But this one, where there is a park, remains a speedway and dumping ground.


I could be wrong.

Maybe these murals, painted over ones installed a few years ago, will inspire automobilists to drive cautiously and stop dumping furniture and tires next to this building.

Maybe this will inspire Hartford’s DPW to routinely clean Pope Park West.

Maybe a little more paint in yet another corner will be what it takes for the City to get serious about street improvements — the kind people benefit from 365, not merely a few hours on one Sunday.