Well it sounds as if red-light running and stop sign-ignoring are rampant. What's to be done? Minnehaha Avenue in general is an accident waiting to happen--but never for long, as there are plenty. Especially dangerous is the intersection at 46th St. Besides the car accidents--at least once every other month in the 5 minutes I'm waiting for the bus in the mornings--I personally know THREE people--pedestrians--who have been hit, and one was carrying her toddler at the time (none of those, thankfully, had serious injuries). I've had 3-4 narrow escapes myself from folks tearing around the corners while the pedestrian walk signal is on. Defensive driving, and especially defensive walking, are the order of the day. Of course someone who doesn't realize that is going to be seriously injured or killed one of these days while attempting to cross the street afoot. I wonder if any folks on the police force ever read the MNForum emails. Phone calls don't seem terribly effective. So much for them to do, I realize. In the meantime, we should all remember to drive (and walk) defensively and to remind our friends and loved ones to do the same. Park Board brouhaha. I was incensed at the idea of buying a cozy little office space anywhere. At the beginning of summer, I was at Hiawatha Park, and came home horrified and dismayed. The grass was sparse and unmowed, the dandelions were rampant--I've rarely seen more dandelions anywhere. The chldren's playground equipment consists of some rusted swings (8-10, I believe), one small aged slide, and likewise a small aged climbing affair. And the sandbox this equipment is housed in. Thank God the waterfall doesn't depend on the Park Board to run. This beloved historic park..... presumably one of the most famous--if not the most famous--park in the city. We were broke in Mpls, I understood, and figured that was the reason for the abysmal condition. Cheaper to buy than rent? Well, not really. Depends on one's priorities, and what kind of office one insists on having and what kind of parking lot. Many of us make do with what is within our means. I suggest the Park Board should do the same, and that their top priority should be to keep the parks in good repair. All the debate on what is the clever thing to do with financial figures for offices is a moot point to me, as long as the parks are being neglected. Appreciate the forum and the concerned citizens who participate. Nancy Russell Longfellow |
