The neighborhood has been in upheaval lately over the expansion of a homeless mission near our southern border. This could mean the death of us all (or at least our property values)... or it might only mean that a few more men and women receive a bed and a chance to start over. It could go either way.

In this week's UTW, Michael Bates weighs in on this issue – as he does – and neighborhood planning in general.
Read the column online at urbantulsa.com.
(Notice that in the photo cut line, the homeless are referred to as "substance-addled vagrants". I sincerely believe that this is meant to be tongue in cheek ... otherwise my bleeding heart wouldn't be able to take it.)

There is also an opinion piece stating that downtown is being run into the ground. The tone seems a little... cranky. Road maintenance is annoying at best, but it's also temporary and really hardly a reason to be hatin'. Most of the downtown development is still in planning mode – so maybe you guys can wait to start singing the failure song at least until construction starts. Yes, the Brady District has been the butt of planning errors. Yes, the prison location isn't ideal (what were they thinking?!). Unless you have arson up your sleeve, you're just going to have to deal with it... preferably in a constructive manner.

This is the line that bothers me the most:
"People are afraid to come to Downtown Tulsa in the daytime let alone at night. It is axiomatic that anyone who is fearful of venturing into Downtown Tulsa in the daytime is going to be even more fearful of driving or walking around downtown in the dark."

Who are these people who are afraid to go Downtown during the daylight!? Have they been Downtown? Have they been to Tulsa!? Decidedly.Not.Scary. It's "axiomatic" that Tulsans need to toughen up and live a little.
But then I live in North Tulsa... if I want to impress people I only have to tell them that I take out the trash after 9 pm. I'm pretty hardcore after all.

Speaking of being hardcore in Tulsa: I love Indie Tulsa so hard! Red Fork Hippie makes me want to unpack my Holga and take a day trip... after it warms up.

Labels: life, Tulsa

posted at 11:33 AM

--------------------

1 Comments:

Geez. I haven't been there in awhile, but almost nothing is less sinister than downtown Tulsa. Unless you're afraid of hairspray. I remember we used to drive out there (from Fayetteville) and eat at Pippins (later named J.J. Tippins) and then go to see Oklahoma! at Discoveryland.

By  stephy, at 3/09/2008 11:06 PM  

Post a Comment