RFP Staff
♦ Salisbury’s latest big grant money project called the “Centerpiece Project”, including a downtown public green space (the above pictured public park), is drawing much public ridicule. The rancor toward this latest city announcement is on a par with the response over the city’s proposed “traffic calming” for East Innes. Many Salisbury residents find it incredible the city would even consider placing medians and bikeways to further slow and congest East Innes. Many ask: “What are they thinking?”
When City Manager Doug Paris recently shared an artist sketches of the proposed “Centerpiece Project” for Downtown Salisbury, the Rowan Free Press was flooded with emails.
“The city is sinking below the horizon with its poverty and crime, and the people running the show are basically telling its residents to “eat cake” with this Centerpiece Project,” wrote Miriam Robinson. “Do these people ever consider future consequences of any of their projects? Don’t they remember that lovely little fountain encircled by park benches between the Depot and that stairway on East Innes? During the day the homeless from Rowan Helping Ministries fill those park benches and leave broken bottles and needles around. The city has to clean human waste out of the fountain on a regular basis. No normal persons go there for fear of running into the mentally ill acting out or getting panhandled. It’s sure to be the same way at the new Needle Park they are proposing. That area is rough trade. The Norfolk Southern train robbery in 2012 took place only a stone’s throw from the proposed green space. It’s a horrible place for a public park. You know people are sure to be mugged there or worse. They’ll need police stationed in that park 24/7 or else close it off as soon as it gets near dark. This sort of beautification program is just asking for trouble.”
“It amazes me they would even think of this Centerpiece Project at this particular time and in that place,” writes Staci Morgan. “The city can’t even upkeep their properties. This latest idea to come jogging down Tipsy Lane is beyond ludicrous. The city has so many pressing needs and no real money to meet them. This green space will be a magnet for trouble.”
“The bums will love it,” said Jonathon Morris. “Because that’s all who will be using it after they cut the ribbon. Is this where the Bury plans to have their big Festivals? Give it six months at most before a body winds up in the bushes. Overdose or a murder. They’ll never keep the bums out. A couple of joggers might use it until they get tired of the panhandlers rushing them. “Sir, Sir can you do me a favor? I need 33 cents.”"
