Readers support removing the homeless to replace failing tunnel

In a pretty decisive vote in the poll last week readers made it clear the homeless living in the old Tucker tunnel had to be displaced so the failing structure could be replaced:

Q: St. Louis displaced the homeless living under the Tucker bridge, your thoughts? Pick only one:

1. The homeless had to go so Tucker can be replaced. 96 [45.71%]
2. Larry Rice used the issue just to raise a stink. 68 [32.38%]
3. The homeless had to go, but the city could have been more sensitive to their needs. 25 [11.9%]
4. Other answer… 8 [3.81%]
5. Unsure/no opinion 6 [2.86%]
6. Larry Rice was the only person to stand up for the rights of the homeless. 5 [2.38%]
7. The city shouldn’t replace Tucker so the homeless can stay in place. 2 0.95%

More thought Larry Rice was just using the issue than genuine concern for the homeless.  Two people actually voted to not replace the bridge so the homeless can keep living under the roadway as it collapses!

Here are the “other” answers:

1. Move them if need be, then allow them to move back when construction is complete
2. Larry Rice put these tunnel dwellers in the tunnel to gain publicity/donations.
3. Rice takes advantage of the homeless. They had no rights to the property.
4. The city should find a place for these people to live.
5. Bill Siedoff is doing a great job. He is very caring
6. tunnel is unique, should save for future reuse
7. get a job
8. Homeless had to go. Period.

b

– Steve Patterson

Green Party Candidates for Mayor

Those of you registered to vote in the City of St. Louis will have a choice to make on March 3rd.  Candidates, sure.  But before that you’ll have to decide what ballot to take — Democrat or Green.

This year we will see a Green primary due to two Green candidates for Mayor.  On April 4th the winner of the Green primary will face the winner of the 3-way Democratic primary, a Libertarian and Independent Maida Coleman.  Both Green candidates responded to my online questionnaire although only one answered all questions.  The questionnaire was a revision of the one used by candidates for aldermen.  As you will see, I didn’t get all the wording changed.

This is probably the best argument for having non-partisan elections.  We have a primary & general election so these two can have a primary.  The purpose of a primary is so the political parties can select their candidate.  Then you have a general with all the candidates from each party.  This year we have seven total candidates for Mayor, three Democrats, two Greens, a Libertarian and an Independent.  This does not justify having both a partisan primary and a general election.

4. Campaign website URL is (this WILL be published). Type ‘none’ if you don’t have a website/blog.

Don De Vivo:   n/a

Elston McCowan:   www.mccowan4mayor.com

7. List your 3 main qualifications for the position?

… Continue Reading

Lucas Park Design Charrette Tonight, 11/17/2008; 6pm

At 6pm tonight (11/17/08) citizens will gather for a ‘design charrette‘ focusing on downtown’s Lucas Park.

In short, a charrette is an intensified design process. Teams will assemble and draw & write out what they want for Lucas Park.

The current park was created 100 years ago. It once featured elaborate plantings and had few trees. It was symmetrical in both directions. The two North-South walkways and entrances align with the rear doorways of the library to the South across Locust St. Each of these walkways has a circle at its center. A drinking fountain exists at the East circle.

I’m rather fond of the original design. I say original but that is not quite accurate. The city was deeded this block in 1857. The city bought the block where the library is now located. From 1859-1883 the two blocks contained a large park. Locust St did not go through from 13th to 14th. That would be the true original park.

That park was wiped out in 1883 for the St Louis Exhibition and Music Hall. That hall was razed in 1907 current main Library, which opened in 1912. Locust St was cut through at this time. At some point during the 5 years it took to raze the old structure and build the library, the current design for Lucas Park was realized.

So, I like the 1907-1912 design of the park. In fact, it is in very good condition. On my team tonight I will advocate more a restoration/renovation than a completely new design. But I’d like to see a team or two come up with a fresh approach. We need as many different concepts as possible.  We will have a drawing (view PDF) of the existing conditions as a starting point.

The park needs to be a reflection of today. That would include a pleasant outdoor place for people to sit and enjoy the park. That includes those that are homeless. However, while I don’t object to a homeless person enjoying the park I do object to bags of belongings surrounding trees. We need to find a way for the homeless to have a place to safely store their belongings as they search for employment, housing and treatment for any addictions or mental issues.

The Eastern end of the park was fenced off and used by a nearby daycare center for a playground. That center moved West near Jefferson last year. A prior charrette was done 5-6 years ago. At that time the children’s center was still using the playground so the thought was to mirror the design and fence the Western end for a dog park. The center, with the fountain, would have remained open to all.

But Larry Rice objected and the project stalled.

Today the neighborhood is very different than it was just six years ago. We have more residents, more dogs, and more children. The city says we have fewer homeless.

As with anything we need to strike a balance: residents, homeless, kids, dogs. Not one of these should be given so much priority in the park that it tips to being only for that one user group. The park can and must be shared by and for all.

So we’ll see what everyone comes up with tonight. We will be at Crepes in the City at 500 N. 14th (just North of the park). They are closed on Mondays so we are just using their space for the evening. The doors open at 5:30pm and we begin precisely at 6pm. I’ve got a short presentation of the history, recent conditions as well as images from other small urban parks to start the creative juices. We’ll give the teams instructions and set them to work from roughly 6:25 to 8:20pm. At 8:20pm each of the teams will present their park concept to the other teams. We will finished by 9pm.

Following the charrette we will begin incorporating the ideas from everyone into a master plan for the park, enabling us to seek public and/or private funding. The charrette is open to all who wish to participate.
Design professionals are encouraged to participate (and to bring markers & trace).

Halloween in Lucas Park

Today we continued our presence in Lucas Park by holding an afternoon Halloween Party for neighborhood kids.

Everyone had a great time, by the end of the event in the park we had quite a few kids, maybe 10. One of the kids was homeless, at age 5. He was with a friend of his mom’s, the mom was at work. The three of them had spent the last few nights on the street sleeping under a loading dock. They had spent a few nights at Larry Rice’s New Life Evangelical Center but he tossed them because the women wouldn’t do his 90-day program. They consider Rice’s program to be “slave labor.” One woman has a job while the other is doing classes as St Patrick’s Center to get her GED. They consider Rice’s program to be “slave labor.” Their landlord had raised the rent and they could no longer afford it. They have some leads on more affordable places. In the meantime the three of them were out in the cold.

We shared their story with Alderwoman April Ford-Griffin. She gave us her cell number and asked that the mom call her and she would help her get into a family shelter. As we went trick or treating the friend of the mom stayed in Lucas Park but she sent a homeless young man to keep an eye on the young one. After we all got back from trick or treating the mom arrived from her day at work. Andy Martello of the shut down NLEC petition gave the women the Alderwoman’s phone number. I gave them my card and told them to call me if they needed a ride to a shelter.

About a half an hour later my phone rang, I was at home by now. They had talked with Griffin and they needed a ride to a shelter just north of Downtown. I got in my car and drove to a nearby building where they had slept under the dock. Within 20 minutes of them calling me they were safe inside the shelter.

When I got back home I started to cry. The little 5 year-old was so sweet and innocent. The mom and the other woman were nice and trying to do their best, they’d been out of their apartment since October 9th.

As I picked them up I saw Maureen Brown again. She asked why I wasn’t helping her. I said I’d be happy to give her a ride somewhere. I think I was crying in part because I had gotten to know Maureen over the last few weeks but she was still on the street. So I called a women’s shelter to see if they could take her. They said they were full but they might be able to let her sleep on a sofa for one night but they wanted to talk to her first.

So back down to the car I went. I got lucky and found Maureen near the same loading dock where I had seen her about an hour earlier. She got into my car and I called the shelter. She turned down the sofa but they suggested she call back Monday to see if they have any openings. She doesn’t have a cell phone so I’m going to go find her on Monday so she can use my phone to talk to them. She is out there in the cold. I did notice a couple of homeless men in the same spot — they are likely her protectors.

I’ll be able to sleep better tonight knowing I helped two women and a child get a safe place to sleep and that I will hopefully get Maureen into a shelter as well this coming week. This morning I had noticed belongings under this particular loading dock. It was weird putting a face to a space. A 5 year-olds face.

We had fun in the park today. We made more connections with homeless persons. I found more people among the homeless population that think NLEC needs to go. Needs do exist and NLEC is not meeting those needs.

One of the top needs is a place to store personal belongings and clothing. We have more homeless than we have spaces for stuff. The stuff goes into the shelters at night but the next morning the person & their stuff are back on the street (or in the park). I don’t mind seeing homeless persons in the park but piles of stuff just show how poor a job we are doing at providing good services for the homeless. How can we expect this person(s) to get a job? They can’t carry all this to a job interview.

Happy Halloween!

UPDATE 10/26/08 @8AM   – I removed information on the shelter where I took the two women and child.

Thoughts From The Downtown Resident’s Meeting

Last night I attended the Downtown Resident’s Association meeting at the Tap Room. My friend Farrell joined me. Farrell is between residences at the moment. Note I didn’t say my “homeless friend” as I have done before. He is a friend that happens to be homeless but like most of us we don’t want to be defined or labeled by a single factor. I don’t want someone to describe me as their disabled friend.

What was interesting was after the meeting when the last 5-6 of us headed down to the main bar. So here I am watching Farrell and Andy Martello bond. Martello is the downtown dad that circulated the petition to get Larry Rice’s New Life Evangelistic Center shut down (his blog, petition, RFT story). Farrell pointed out to Andy that Rice’s NLEC, despite it’s shortcomings (no computer access, no place to store belongings, outdated training), does provide a place to sleep and food if you are hungry.

Last night, seven blocks from Lucas Park, progress was made. Farrell thought it was interesting to hear the Mayor & residents talk openly about their concerns. Farrell was pleased as he heard compassion from downtown residents.  A few residents experienced a different side of homelessness — speaking with an educated, well-read individual who is able to articulate what he and so many others need. It focuses on transitional housing.  Having your clothing/possessions in the same place you sleep.  Better access to the web & email.  With the last meals served at 5pm it is hard to get a job and be back to Centenary for 5pm dinner.  How is a person supposed to eat until the first paycheck arrives?  Coordination of services is Farrell’s request.

I think the more downtown residents get involved in creating viable solutions the less homeless residents we will see on the street and in Lucas Park.