Alderman Schulter joined representatives from the Department of Transportation and the local Ravenswood business community today to celebrate the completion of the new Clark Street streetscape. The $7.4 million project beautified Clark Street between Montrose and Ainslie and consists of numerous aesthetic and architectural elements, including decorative lighting, planters, and community identifiers highlighting the Clark Street shopping district. (pictured with Ald. Schulter are Jackie Taylor of the Black Ensemble Theater, Janet Attarian & Sean Coleman, CDOT, and Chris Shickels with the Ravenswood Community Council).
"I really believe that a new look on Clark Street is going to have a huge impact on the economic development initiatives in the Ravenswood neighborhood," Alderman Schulter said.
Ahhh. Bricks-and-mortar versus fish farms. An alderman celebrating completion of a good project for the community WITH representatives of the community--versus an alderman who isn't part of community and antagonises the community and prefers to put her name on commemerative plaques on every play lot and fish farm she's gotten built for her cronies and gangs. I hope we are going to be seeing a LOT of the former and no more of the latter.
ReplyDeleteWe got two blocks of a very poorly-conceived streetscaping--without public input--constructed in front of a pet project constructed with public money (and without public input). We've had millions of tax dollars poured into private property that we will never see a return on. What I'm hoping to see in the coming years is streetscaping on Broadway north from Wilson...and on Broadway between Grace and Montrose (and lots more that will benefit ALL of us). And I hope that a new alderman will do ribbon-cuttings with the neighborhood businesses and block clubs...something and someone we can all be proud about, without plaques and without memorial fish farms.