In case anyone has been wondering about improvements and the money being sunk into the Elm street neighborhood by the city, here are some highlights from a walk around it this morning. (follow additional posts for more pictures)

More pics...

and more... (van has expired registration and inspection)

I know CE is working on this dump, but i dont know whats taking so long.

And one to cap it off.

I recommend that you click on the photos, particularly those of the house, for a better look. (but maybe not the last photo...) I have many more photos of additional features of this neighborhood, stay tuned!

Good photos. Im not sure what the dollar figure the city allocated to itself for improvements to the OECD Elm street neighborhood was, but Nine million dollars sticks in my head, It started with a nine anyway and was a big number. From these pictures, it doesnt look like nine dollars has been spent on the real Elm street neighborhood. The iron pipe and missing railing right next to the ten foot drop is startling, what if a child fell in front of a vehicle, could it stop? How do you deal with infrastructure that has deteriorated to this point?

Yes! I know for a fact that children and the elderly live on the high side of South avenue and have to negotiate those stairways and sidewalks. I also know that everybody speeds down South avenue into town from cars and motorcycles to large tractor trailers and dump trucks. If someone fell off that wall where the railing is missing it would be ugly. BTW that railing and those walkways have been neglected for at least the past ten years. The only attention they have recieved lately is when Jim Copeland and his DPW crew fixed up the stairway with the missing tread a couple of years back. Thanks Jimmy! City Hall should be ashamed of itself for letting things get to this point while lavishing money on pet projects. This is not the only area of the city that is in gross neglect. Take a look at many of the back streets of Bradford and you will find similar neglect. I remember what a huge job it was and how much it cost when the city repaired and replaced that wall thirty or so years back, you would think they would maintain these capitol improvements rather than just letting them go to hell in a handbasket. Another big one that comes to mind is the flood control through town. That is also an absolute disgrace, and has financial implications that boggle the mind. I just dont understand it...

More photos coming soon...

That house on South Ave. is an owner occupied house if that says anything.

Maplewood Ave. seems like a very common place to park non-registered - non-inspected vehicles. I bet if a person were to check, there would be no insurance as well.