Historical June 1984 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Count me among those who enthusiastically supports the recent street closings (Des Peres, Laurel, Rosedale, and Nina) in the neighborhood.
From what I have seen in only three weeks, they have brought new vitality, serenity, and harmony to Skinker-DeBaliviere.
It pleases me, for example, to see our young people using the streets and sidewalks for games, bicycle riding, etc., in greater numbers than before (I have lived in the neighborhood seven years).
And I like the fact that more of my friends and neighbors — of all ages — seem to be out and about, enjoying the safety and tranquility that come with less traffic on our streets. Looking ahead, I am hopeful that plans for the “greening” of Des Peres will help unify the neighborhood east and west of that street.
In my view, any slight inconvenience that may result from the barriers would seem a small price to pay for changes that will bring us closer together.
To those who would remove the barriers, I ask: Would you want also to tear up the barricades on Rosedale, Waterman (at DeBaliviere) and Laurel (at Westminster and Kingsbury)? Those changes, opposed by many at the time, improved our neighborhood by cutting down all but local traffic.
We all want to make Skinker-DeBaliviere a better place for everyone, and if that means asking small sacrifices of many (rather than big sacrifices of a few), well, isn’t that what “neighborhood” is all about? I ask everyone to give the experiment a chance before giving the experiment up. — Richard Lowenstein
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1984.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1984_06.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
