The Collegetown Neighborhood Council discussed parking regulations, Senior Week activities, trash pickup and crosswalk repair at its monthly meeting in Sheldon Court yesterday. The meeting was lead by David I. Stewart, director of community relations.
The first issue addressed was the increased frequency of parking on sidewalks and lawns in Collegetown.
“This is dangerous,” said Mary Tomlan, a Collegetown resident. “It forces people to walk in the traffic lane.”
While the council agreed that more tickets should be administered to those parked in unauthorized areas, some members believed this might not serve as an effective deterrent because students from out of state ignore their fines. The council also agreed that towing is not an option since it would be too costly and time-consuming for the city.
After discussing taking cars off the sidewalks, the council addressed keeping students off the streets during Senior Week, which begins on May 19.
This year’s activities are once again geared towards discouraging Collegetown block parties, a goal intended to decrease the amount of drinking that occurs, according to Jennifer Davis, director of class councils.
To promote this objective, the Senior Class Council wants to organize an event for each night that will begin and end later, similar to last year’s Ho Plaza Carnival and late-night movie.
David Pepin, co-owner of Dunbars, advocated for the participation of Collegetown bars in activities throughout the week, to provide supervision for the drinking that will inevitably occur. He recalled past Senior Weeks in which students purchased a pass for specials at each of the bars.
“It was a great night,” he said. “I don’t remember any trouble. It was a controlled atmosphere.”
The garbage piles on Collegetown sidewalks were another hot topic at the meeting, as residents have been complaining that students leave trash bags on the street or throw them out their windows.
“We are discussing dumpster regulations,” said Jane Marchain, a Collegetown resident and advocate of adding garbage cans to Collegetown.
Opponents of the proposal argued the cans would roll down the hills, creating more work for land owners. Others said the cans would lead to more littering because students would tip them over or throw out their trash unbagged.
Also under examination was the repainting of the Collegetown crosswalks.
“The crosswalk across College Avenue is essential,” Marchain said. “Pedestrians have a hard time getting across because there is no flashing light.”
The repainting will occur before the cold weather sets in, Stewart said.
The next meeting of the Collegetown Neighborhood Council will be Dec. 14. Among the continuation and resolution of the issues discussed this month will be Stewart’s imminent retirement, which leaves the council without a steering committee member.
Archived article by Rachel Einschlag