Southwest Detroit will keep Vernor streetlights lit
From The Detroit News, "The Home Newspaper:"
March 3, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Southwest Detroit group raises $6.4M to keep city streetlights burning
- By Steve Pardo
- The Detroit News
Detroit — A business association took it upon itself to raise the millions needed to repair and maintain streetlights on a busy stretch of West Vernor after learning the area wasn't on the city's five-year plan for repairs.
Now, five years later, the Southwest Detroit Business Association has raised more than $6.4 million — about 94 percent of the moneyhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png needed to keep the lights burning along a 2.3 mile stretch from Woodmere to Clark. The association raised the money through grants and partnerships. It's confident it will secure the remaining $400,000 needed to repair and install lighting, which is scheduled to begin around November, said Teresa Zajac, project coordinator for the SDBA.
"When our business ownershttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png established a business improvement district five years ago, the first complaint that came through was that there was no street lighting," Zajac said. "You can't be a viable business district and not have good lighting."
Lighting is a problem throughout the city. The problem is further exacerbated in the southwest, where the population is predominantly minority, low-income residents, Zajac said, and about 40 percent don't have access to a car.
Shopkeepers are willing to keep their doors open late but residents are scared to shop after dark, said Jamahl Makled, owner of the Boost Mobile in the 7800 block of West Vernor. Graffiti is a problem — especially in areas not illuminated, he said.
"Without a doubt safety is our number one priority and when there's darkness, there's crime. We've seen it from our own personal experience," said Makled, 40.
Still, he said, he couldn't imagine being anywhere else
"This area has so much potential," Makled said.
He's thankful for the efforts of the SDBA and is anxious for the project to start. The lights are scheduled to be fixed and operational by the end of 2014 if crews begin work this November.
"Everybody will feel safer: the customers, the business owners - everybody," he said.
There are 17 schools on or near the West Vernor stretch, SDBA members said. Safety is also a concern for Michael Khoury, president of the private Cristo Rey High School, east of Livernois on Vernor. He praised the efforts and like others, is looking forward to constructionhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png.
"Many of our students either walk to school or are dropped off on Vernor. We start the school day at 7:30 a.m. especially in the winter months, it's dark," he said. "You wish the city would be in a position to keep the lights on but to be honest, our students and our families don't care who is responsible - as long as they get fixed."
spardo@detroitnews.com
-----------
I'm glad they interviewed someone from Christo Rey. Vernor tends to be well-lit among city thoroughfares not in downtown, but major cross streets in southwest are usually quite dark. Junction is a good example....right at the Holy Redeemer/Christo Rey corner. With daylight savings time starting and the morning walk or bus ride to school now dark again, I'd be worried about my kid. Glad to see SW stepping up the plate, though in reality they shouldn't have to, hopefully this will help SW built its neighborhood vitality.
