Part of Meadowbrook Creek flows next to Barry Park, creating an oasis in the middle of the city. Although it's common to see joggers on nearby roads and paths, it's uncommon to see people wading in the water. Dustin Everitt (left) and Chris Nack, students at State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry, were curious about whichspecies of fish live in the creek. They used an electric fish stunner help catalog the fish, and reached a stunning conclusion: Thousands of goldfish live there. They surmise that the fish population once began as pets, and the fish thrive in the creek because it doesn't freeze to the bottom but is shallow enough to warm up quickly. Sitting southeast of Syracuse University's main campus, the University area houses a mix of middle-class households and students. Some of the fun, funky atmosphere from the neighboring Westcott Nation drifts south across Euclid Avenue into the University area.
We recently took a walk down Roosevelt Avenue to ask our question: "What's the one thing the next mayor should do to improve life in the University area?" Here are the responses of four residents.
Susan Yoo, 29, of 324 Roosevelt Ave., had to stretch to think of a way to im prove the University area, but eventually came up with one: Change odd-even parking.
In Cambridge, Mass., where she's from, the govern ment posts the times and days when vehicles must be removed for street cleaning. That's a far more convenient setup than Syr acuse's requirement of having to remember to move your car at 6 p.m. from the odd-numbered side of the street to the even side on even-numbered dates, or vice versa, Yoo said.
Canidates respond:
Matt Driscoll (D): Our odd- even parking system has a prov en track record, given our win ter snowfall totals and street cleaning schedules. Most impor tant is the public safety factor for police, fire and emergency vehicles that this system pro vides on narrow or congested streets. The Department of Pub lic Works constantly reviews traffic and parking strategies to improve our city.
Joanie Mahoney (R-C-Ind): I would not propose a change. The current system is both un derstandable and equitable. Also, since we're a city with well over 100 inches of snow each winter, it's important that we al ternate sides daily so that our great public works crews can completely clear a street of snow from curb to curb at least once every 24 hours.
Howie Hawkins (Green): The people in each neighborhood should determine on-street parking regulations for their own streets in Neighborhood As semblies, where every resident has a voice and a vote. All the city should require is that a neighborhood's regulations rea sonably accommodate street cleaning, snow removal and emergency vehicles.
People's voices:
Susan Nathan, 47, of 333 Roosevelt Ave., said: This is one of the most terrific neigh borhoods. But an issue hanging over the Universi ty area and across Syra cuse is that the mayor needs to be clear about providing more support for repairs and maintenance for homeowners in the city, said Nathan, a Realtor by profession. Doing so, she said, will help homeowners torn between pay ing their taxes and fixing their homes. When you have people taking care of their homes and their neighborhoods it increases their sense of community and their safety, Nathan said.
Teresa Streiff, 41, of 304 Roosevelt Ave., echoed Nathan's pitch for city help to homeowners, but added City Hall has come a long way in promoting home owner ship in the area. Some of the homes on Westcott and farther down were getting dumpy. They've made grants available, Streiff said.
Jamie Ferschinger, 29, of 247 Roosevelt Ave., said: The next mayor needs to put a bike lane on Eu clid Avenue, the neighborhood's main thor oughfare to Syracuse Uni versity. Lots of students who live on Roosevelt ride their bicycles to the Hill, said Ferschinger, a graduate student at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. She said she had seen the aftermath of a car-bicycle crash a couple of weeks earlier, and just that afternoon witnessed a near-miss. If this wasn't a college town it wouldn' be so big a deal, she said.
© 2005 The Post-Standard. Used with permission.
Posted by syracusegreens at October 3, 2005 05:12 PM