Regarding the recent stories about Bronstein Park and the abandoned house at 269 Hanover Street:
Just some other information for you.
Located at 12 Dutton Street, and just up the street, are several other buildings with “X” on them. 12 Dutton St. is free access to anyone. The building is unlocked, doors broken allowing all teens and homeless to go into and use night or day.
Up the street as I mentioned on Dutton Street toward the end of it, two buildings sit across from each other, both again are vacant and the City is powerless to find or do anything to get the buildings torn down or a new owner selected for occupancy.
As for the one next to Cumberland Farms, people of the city – many on the public bus – know that homeless, teens, prostitutes, drug users and such use that building often. What do the police do when you call? “We will look into it thanks…” then nothing is done. They drive by it, they drive down the alley, but as for entering the building, they won’t because of safety of the officers is the major concern for them.
For 1 year and 6 months I lived at 291 Manchester Street, a nice one-bedroom, a nice landlord. However, while living there, I have seen prostitutes often standing just across the street at the brick wall waiting to be picked up. Call the police and the ‘girls’ have a mobile app now that lets you hear the police calls. It acts like a scanner, once they hear it broadcast, they leave the area before the officer gets there, then they return later.
Just recently as last week, I went to visit my son who lives on Dutton Street. In walking past Bronstein Park in the hours of 7-9 p.m. you can smell the pot being smoked by individuals who sit on the benches under the trees, just out of the way of the street lights.
Sadly, when Veterans Park was seeing an influx of homeless and ‘crowds’, the city simply removed the benches at the entrance to the park. It does nothing to deter them; it simply makes them migrate to another park or place to hang out.
As for solutions? The City of Manchester is more concerned with ‘minor’ fixes hoping that by doing so, they make it seem that they are doing something to correct the issues. When in all reality, they are just pushing it around the city. “Sweep the problem under the rug and maybe no one will notice the lump in the rug”…
At a time when the City of Manchester isn’t doing enough, city officials would rather point the blame to other towns/cities claiming that is where it coming from. Organizations have felt the pinch of the aldermen not putting money where it belongs. The aldermen are more content with hot lunches served to them, their $5,000 annual pay and health benefits.
Looking back in the last few years you can see the aldermen, in their budgets, have put less and less into helping organizations serve those who really need help. City of Manchester is a sinking ship, on a downward spiral, and even the OYS Director, Economic Director and many others have left knowing the current leadership in place is clueless.
Mayor Gatsas has done what he can, when he can, but when you have 14 Aldermen, the majority of them Democrats who can overrule your veto, your hands are tied and bound.
In the end, it will take the people of this city to come together and vote out the long-standing aldermen to bring about the positive and meaningful changes this city needs. Until then it will be as it is. A sad day to live in this city of 100,000 people.
Signed:
Robert Tarr, Manchester resident
Your letters are always welcome. Submit to robidouxnews@gmail.com, subject line: Letter to the Editor.
