In yesterday's News-Gazette there was this excellent article by Mike Monson about Champaign's Garden Hills neighborhood, some of its history and challenges, and plans for it moving forward:
Garden Hills has a way of getting noticed.
The northwest neighborhood of roughly 1,000 homes – a proud, diverse and working-class neighborhood – has its share of problems. But it's also filled with many longtime residents who say they wouldn't live anyplace else.
This summer, Garden Hills is the focus of an intense city effort to provide activities and guidance to local youths, who alarmed city officials last spring by gathering in large numbers on many nights and sometimes clashing with police.
More than 50 years ago, Garden Hills was getting noticed for a different reason: its sheer unprecedented scale. The dream of developer Cecil Ozier and his two sons, Darrell and Mervyn, all now deceased, Garden Hills was described in a 1955 news article as "the largest single residential development ever proposed here at one time."
Discuss.
I thought it was a very well-done article. My family lived there for the first 10 years my parents were married, so it was interesting to see some names that I remember from block parties, etc.
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At some point we have to trust the government. - redstatewannabe on 2008-06-12 at 1:14pm
I was astonished the Champaign Police were so brazen to admit and even brag in the News-Gazette that it does racially profile and use selective enforcement in applying the laws against Champaign citizens. When 100-200 drunken college students congregate outside the campus bars, this type of "broken window" policing does not occur.
Champaign Police Chief R.T. Finney said, shortly after the taser debate in March 2004 that it was his intent to "improve relations between the police and the black community". Now we have this article from Garden Hills that says when police rolled through Garden Hills, black youth were pelting police cars with rocks and bottles. Where were the arrests? Are relations really improving? Why would youth throw rocks and bottles at police cars?
I was astonished the Champaign Police were so brazen to admit and even brag in the News-Gazette that it does racially profile and use selective enforcement in applying the laws against Champaign citizens. When 100-200 drunken college students congregate outside the campus bars, this type of "broken window" policing does not occur.
Where exactly did the Champaign Police say that they used racial profiling and selective enforcement?
Champaign Police Chief R.T. Finney said, shortly after the taser debate in March 2004 that it was his intent to "improve relations between the police and the black community". Now we have this article from Garden Hills that says when police rolled through Garden Hills, black youth were pelting police cars with rocks and bottles. Where were the arrests? Are relations really improving? Why would youth throw rocks and bottles at police cars?
Actually, the article only said "youths." You added the "black" part.
Wayward writes, 'the article only said "youths." '
You can't be serious, Wayward. Do you really think the police and the News-Gazette are NOT talking about black youths?
Wayward writes, 'the article only said "youths." '
You can't be serious, Wayward. Do you really think the police and the News-Gazette are NOT talking about black youths?
Are you implying that the only youth who get in trouble with the police are black?
I must have missed something--where in the article did it state that the police admitted to racial profiling? Anonymous, are you advocating that the rock-throwers be arrested or not? I'm not sure what point you're trying to make--that the police were too tough or too easy on the youths in Garden HIlls.
Garden Hills, just like any neighboorhood, has it's issues and I'm glad to see the residents are involving law enforcement to combat the crap in their neighboorhood.
Unknown to the likes of Anonymous @6:22AM, this neighboorhood does not only consist of poor black people. Sure, you'll find poor black people in this neighboorhood, but you'll also find wealthy black residents, poor white people, wealthy white people, renters, property owners, squatters, bad kids and good kids. Oh, and don't forget the retired people as well.
All of these people, well, maybe not the squatters or bad kids, want to live in a safe neighboorhood. They want to live in an area free of crime, drugs, blowing trash, loud music, and fast cars on their streets. They want to be able to sit out on their front porch on a nice summer evening and to go for walks without being harrassed by anyone.
GReat article....
Brandon
I live in Garden Hills and I do agree that the article was fairly well written. Not too long ago WCIA ran a story where Garden Hills was labeled the "worst" neighborhood in the community and I can state that this managed to really tick residents off. The general feeling was that WCIA managed to misrepresent the area so an article that places a focus on the positive is something that I hope will lift the spirits of residents.
If a group of youth gathers on campus does that generate the same amount of attention as Garden Hills? Even taking the label "black" out of the equation Anonymous does have a valid point. After the WCIA story aired I asked a student in Urban Planning about the local METCAD calls, because I knew there was some research being done and I learned that most of the 911 calls actually are generated from campus. When police shot into a home last year while chasing a suspect that generated some concerns. Would this have happened in an upper class neighborhood? Personally I doubt it.
One of the main roads in Garden Hills is Paula Drive and there are no sidewalks for people to walk on. This particular street does tend to be pretty busy so it's a real oversight that we don't have a place for kids to walk outside of the street. Joanne Dorsey is not the only location where there have been evictions. I attended a neighborhood association meeting where Lt. Swan talked about having some of the Section 8 vouchers in this area revoked. Personally I'm concerned that having that kind of power is something that might potentially be abused. So it's important that citizens are able and willing to view these changes with a critical eye.
"When police shot into a home last year while chasing a suspect that generated some concerns. Would this have happened in an upper class neighborhood? Personally I doubt it."
Well Marti, if you look at the New Gazettes account of police shootings over the past few years you might find out that one occurred in Turnberry (SW part of town), one at Westside Park, and police shooting at the guy in Garden Hills. Can't happen in upper class neighborhood? Sounds to me it can happen anywhere depending on the situation.
Goes to show you...act up, block traffic, cause general mayhem and get the city breakin it's back to provide goodies. Terrible message.
Lets see.....stories that appear in the News - Gazette.
Mentally ill woman stabs her kids...killing one seriously injures the other child. Police come out and arrest her.
Mentally distraught man shows up at his girlfriends house and is carrying a gun. Police send out the swat team...block the neighborhood off....and the guy kills himself.
Story 1 - Cherry Hills
Story 2 - Garden Hills
To say that these things can happen anywhere is a 'no-brainer' but the responses usually differ depending on the neighborhood. The officers had the right to chase the suspect in Garden Hills. But when the suspect ran into a home it was not necessary to plug holes into the house placing a woman and her grandchildren in danger.
As for the comments made by Anon 8:59.....I have yet to see the city shower Garden Hills with "goodies". Hedge Road has been in need of street lights for a long time and recently some roads were resurfaced. Even at that all it takes is a nice heavy rain and some parts of Garden Hills become hard to navigate due to the water. I had a pizza delivered earlier as it was raining heavily and the delivery guy bitched about how it was difficult for him to get to my house. Considering the street had been recently repaved it kind of blows that there is still flooding.
Mentally ill woman stabs her kids...killing one seriously injures the other child. Police come out and arrest her.
Mentally distraught man shows up at his girlfriends house and is carrying a gun. Police send out the swat team...block the neighborhood off....and the guy kills himself.
Story 1 - Cherry Hills
Story 2 - Garden Hills
Actually mentally ill woman kills her kids, she calls police, police arrive and arrest her. Crime over when police arrive. What should their response have been in your experience?
Mentally ill man, threatens to kill ex-wife, holds gun to his head, police block off neighborhood and negotiate. Man flees with gun, speeding through neighborhood, police pursue, man kills self. Again, what would be your suggestion.
Man points gun at officers in Turnberry (SW), police shoot man.
Man shoots officers and then is shot by police, Westside Park.
Man shoots at girlfriend and sister, flees from police, shoots at their cars, shoots at police from inside house,(he plead admits and pleads guilt to that fact according to news accounts), and police return fire. Garden Hills.
Again, what is your issue on response? It appears the response depends on the situation. It appears you simply don't like anything the police do. Given that, there is no response that would be appropriate in your mind.
Actually the case in Cherry Hills resulted in the death of one child and severe injury to the other. She did not kill both her kids and I mentioned that in my original post. What I pointed out is that police often respond differently to situations based on the socioeconomic framework of the area in question. At one point I received an email from someone who lives in Cherry Hills who complained that often officers are slow to respond...because of the perception associated with a 'good' neighborhood. I have also heard similar complaints from SW Champaign.
As a taxpaying citizen I have a right to be critical of our public servants and that does include law enforcement. If you and other individuals wish to make dimwitted interpretations and imply that I don't like the police and everything they do that is not my problem.
"What I pointed out is that police often respond differently to situations based on the socioeconomic framework of the area in question."
This is probably a very accurate complaint, but the examples used were so vastly different in situational variables that they seem to scream the response differences were based on the needs of the situation than any grand sociological thesis. The claim is probably accurate, proving it could be difficult without examples/data that compares apples to apples, not armed hostage takers on the run to someone turning themself in for, until then, unknown murders.
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Glock21 Op/Ed
As a taxpaying citizen I have a right to be critical of our public servants and that does include law enforcement. If you and other individuals wish to make dimwitted interpretations and imply that I don't like the police and everything they do that is not my problem.
Marti, people make those interpretations based on your statements. You've made it abundantly obvious that whatever the police do, you're likely to line up on the opposite side. It appears that you do so because of your own biases and prejudices. Whether or not that is true, that's how you come across.
I am really startiing to agree with Gordy on this point-Mr. Anon M. Muss should state his real name. You are less likely to skew the facts when you use your real name. If you cannot stand the heat, you should stay out of the kitchen. The comment about the Champaign cops being tougher on drunken blacks than drunken college students is so much (will you excuse me Gordy) -bullshit- As a matter of fact, what I hear is that professional criminals-(mostly those with long rap sheets-(mostly blacks-???)- probably get treated with the most respect because they are usually the most polite. I think I have this on pretty good authority from my son, a Champaign cop. My advice to Anon is the next time he gets questioned by a Champaign Cop he tries pressing the polite button, or take his mouth over to the Urbana side.
The three things that the residents of Garden Hills requested is; more police, street lighting, and youth activities. The City has responded with finding money this year for street lights, and youth activities, as well as police, who according to news reports attend meetings, hand out information and address quality of life issues that affect this neighborhood. They are there for the common good, not for the few who insist in taking this neighborhood down. Marti, these are fine beginnings for Garden Hills and the article showed the human side of this area. Set aside your bias, real or not, for a few moments and just acknowleded that movement might be occurring in the right direction. Support that movement, and help the City, the police and your neighbors in taking back this neighborhood. Yes, power must be checked, but so must reality.
"I have yet to see the city shower Garden Hills with "goodies". Hedge Road has been in need of street lights for a long time and recently some roads were resurfaced."
Read the article, money is coming your way. You are not the only one who needs it. Streetlights and youth programs.
Even at that all it takes is a nice heavy rain and some parts of Garden Hills become hard to navigate due to the water.
So Garden Hills is like other parts of Champaign. The center city floods, the northwest floods, even southwest experienced standing water that people could not navigate through. Again, Marti, the common good outlook might make your biased arguments appear to have some validity. Remember, this is IP, not IM. Viewpoints come from all walks, but the point must have some validity before just any one dances to your beat.
One of the nice things about having different opinions....even if it dances to the beat of another drummer is that we have the ability to agree to disagree.
Remember, this is IP, not IM
I take it you are referring to the IMC
Marti, these are fine beginnings for Garden Hills and the article showed the human side of this area. Set aside your bias, real or not, for a few moments and just acknowleded that movement might be occurring in the right direction. Support that movement, and help the City, the police and your neighbors in taking back this neighborhood.
I suggest you read my original post. I stated that I did attend a neighborhood association meeting. I also commented on how the negative publicity that came from WCIA managed to really upset some of the residents here. I also expressed the opinion that the article which appeared in the N-G was well written.
One of the things that the neighborhood association has discussed is celebrating "50 years of Garden Hills" as a subdivision this is an area that continually evolves and grows. All I have to do is take my dog for a walk and I can see the diversity of this area and how people from all walks of life live here. One of my neighbors came to the United States from Germany and has been in Garden Hills for at least 20 years. Mabel Thomas was quoted as saying that Garden Hills is unique in it's diverse makeup and I agree.
When I have gone to visit friends and activists in Urbana it really strikes me that people who live and work around campus are often insulated from the larger community. I've managed to piss off some of my fellow activists by suggesting they expand beyond the boundaries of campus and downtown Champaign. I'm not afraid to reveal my biases and am perfectly willing to take a certain amount of heat. Malcom X once said that "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything" - there is something to be said about that.
Peace, Marti
My advice to Anon is the next time he gets questioned by a Champaign Cop he tries pressing the polite button, or take his mouth over to the Urbana side.
please explain
Dear Marti,
Please review the history of Garden Hills. When it was built, in the late 1950s, developers often did not put in sidewalks because "everyone will own a car. No one will want or need to walk (or ride a bike) anywhere.".
Fast forward 50 years--situation regarding cars and gas prices has changed drastically.
Personally, I've never cared for the small houses, the winding streets, or the lack of sidewalks in Garden Hills (if you don't have a sidewalk, where is your toddler going to ride his/her trike? In the street? I don't bloody think so!!). My job requires me to go there on a semi-regular basis, so I've gotten to witness some of the flooding after it rains, and while I think something could be done about it, I'm not sure the money or political will exists to fix the situations.
I'm glad to hear you're happy there, hope it continues to work well for you.
In the meantime, I'll stick with my Victorians, their sidewalks and trees and brick streets, and my walkable neighborhood.
Good luck, dear! (Always enjoy it when you come over here to visit us!!)
owhtcootcitf
Wayward writes: "Are you implying that the only youth who get in trouble with the police are black?"
No. I was asking you if you really thought the Champaign Police and the News-Gazette were not talking about black youth in its article about Garden Hills. Aside from the News-Gazette's literal ommission of the racial identity of the youths in question, isn't it true that the article is about black youth? Weren't the troubling gatherings in 2007, gatherings of black youth in the Garden Hills neighborhood? You skipped my question to pose one of your own assumptions, that I seem to think white kids never get in trouble with the police. They do, but in far less numbers.
John Maloney writes: "...the Champaign cops being tougher on drunken blacks than drunken college students is so much (will you excuse me Gordy) -bullshit,..."
My perception of the criminal justice system in Champaign County and in particular, Champaign, is: the police do not give out tickets for loud stereoes in cars of college students without first giving a warning ticket. The police do not contact the landlords of college students and have them evicted. The police conduct few, if any, drug raids on houses of college students despite the common knowledge that college students often use illegal drugs. The police do not randomly stop college students, demand to see their personal identification, and enter their personal information into the A.R.M.S. database.
The police do not do these things despite the facts that, college students congregate in large numbers around the Green and Sixth Street area, college students are loud and usually intoxicated on alcohol, college students get into fistfights, college students vandalize and litter public property, and college students play their car stereoes very loud. The same set of reasons police give for the crackdown in Garden Hills. That's selective enforcement of the laws of the land on one group and not the other, with a clear racial and socio-economic bias in my opinion.