Historic Kenwood

Hi. I haven't posted in ages, but was urged to recently, at which point I informed the urger that I don't post on this board anymore because the previous association board voted quite vehemently (and subsequently so did the association) to phase out this board and go to the e-group format. The majority wanted us to use the e-group venue, so I've been honoring the majority request. Well, I've finally realized that I'm the only one who took what was voted on seriously, and everyone else is still par-taaaying down over here?–so I've decided to come back! I liked this format better in the first place! If and when this message board goes away, then I'll use the other venue?–until then, I'm baa-aack. AND I'm glad to see everyone posting on whatever they want, too! I shall also, staying civil as always, of course. So, howdy-doo, all, I've missed this forum!

Now, alley trash--I can relate! The remedy is a total CPTED approach. We have a ''T'' shaped alley--the base of the ''T'' on my block, the top of the ''T'' along 28th street. The trash can that goes with the 28th street alley houses used to be placed inappropriately/anti-CPTEDly (is that a word *lol*?) behind my neighbor's, which already had one trash can. The two cans together created the visual cue: ''come dump here--two cans together AND a clump of brazilian pepper trees--what could be finer?'' We had an awful dumping problem. 5 years and many calls to Yvonne Love (now Johnson) of Sanitation (who is WONDERFUL, btw), and we succeeded in getting the city to move Trash Can Two over to the alley it serves, thus separating the cans and removing the ''dump'' cue. However, the renters living in one house behind the 28th Street can still had their kids dump trash in the alley. Since they were evicted, all was quiet until yesterday, when I saw a child dump trash in the alley. I take it upon myself to clean up the alleys--plural, not just the one behind my house. This is because one neighbor along 28th is a tad disgruntled (read, he says: ''I RULE THIS ALLEY! THE CAN IS GOING BACK!'') about the can being moved over there (even though it serves their houses), so I'm doing my part to keep the areas behind their houses clean--I don't want anyone to feel dumped on, literally *lol*. After the child dumped trash on the ground, I went over immediately and picked up dirty diapers, chicken wings, etc. When the 28th street renters were evicted I spent several hours helping the kids place their stuff INTO the cans, because the mom slept all day and had the kids pack and throw everything out. They threw it into yards and alleys. I gently said, you guys need to put that stuff IN the cans?–let me help you. Tiny kids CANNOT be expected to reach those trash cans! Parents, please don't assign your kids that chore--they cannot reach! Also, get stickers with the number of sanitation special pick-up for the cans. We've done this on many alleys already, but if your cans don't have them, call Yvonne with sanitation. Trash in the alleys runs down the neighborhood and is totally preventable! WHY throw trash on the ground when one can is full instead of walking to the next can, which is often empty? Do the CPTED dance: Hey, if I can get out there and pick up other people's dirty diapers, then anyone can *lol*! Peace out.

kids and alley trash

Edna-
I do agree with the fact that little kids have a hard time lifting the trash bags into the big black cans. I did assign my son that chore and the bags weren't heavy but kids just don't get the importance of putting the bags in the cans, heavy or not. Since then, I've assigned the job to another member of the family...my husband. We've been problem free since.
One suggestion, if kids are going to take the trash out and you have no control over it (because they aren't your kids), maybe a little step stool (1 step) would do the trick. Throw some cool stickers on the stool and the kids can move it next to the can whenever they need to. I'd even have the kids decorate it, take a permament marker and have them write their names on it.
Another idea, bribe them with popsicles, the kids are home for the summer so have them take a little responsibility. Let them know that if they keep the area ''litter fee'', every week on a certain day they will get a reward.
Hopefully, this might help with the litter problem.

By Diane

Little kids aren't tall enough.

Hi! The little ones can't hoist the trash all the way up and into the big cans, even if they can open them. And when the can nearest their house is full, they also sometimes don't understand to go to the next one (heck, some grown-ups seem to have a rough time with that concept, too *lol*). I had to trim my original post waaaaaay back 'cause it went over the 600 word limit, but I was going to go into how much utilizing CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) principles have helped the situation in my particular alley. Seemingly little/simple things like moving the two cans APART, putting the stickers on the cans, keeping the nearby overgrowth trimmed back from the cans, etc. has helped immeasurably. At least people aren't driving here from other areas specifically to dump furniture and stuff there anymore.

Dealing with all the ''colorful'' personalities involved here has been quite delicate, too, but I think the situation is finally down to a dull roar *lol*! I take a lot of pride in this simple accomplishment: My next-door neighbor's yard and our ''T'' shaped alleys are clean and trash free. I feel I had a lot to do with that. There are many things I would like to do to upgrade my home that would cost more money than I have right now. But simple things like picking up trash, etc., are things we can all do--no matter what economic bracket we fall into. :)

P.S. When I say ''colorful''...

...''personalities'', here is a humorous (in retrospect!) anecdote:

One neighbor on the top of the ''T'' (the 28th street alley) informed me that he ''rules this alley'' and that he told that (expletive deleted by yours truly, but referring to Yvonne J. of sanitation) where she could stick it, and he is moving the can back next to the other one. I gently tried reasoning with him (the poor guy has been living there for like 30 years--I figure that entitles him to some modicum of respect, even if I found his language and ''Deutchland Uberalus'' attitude offensive) that the can in question serves his alley, so it isn't really fair to have it behind my neighbor's house, especially as there is already a can there (there is a BIG long story as to the history of where the 28th street can has been located down throughout the years--I won't bore you *LOLOLOL*, but suffice it to say, it has been around). I went on to say that the two cans together bred a look of a dump, inviting people to treat it as such. I think I got through to him because he has not attempted to move the can back. He was just super upset because that was the weekend that the little kids who were about to be evicted were throwing everything everywhere. I think he was impressed that I cleaned it all up and he took pity on me and left the can where it is. Moral? You do catch more flies with honey. And also with actions. If we all got into a confrontational standoff and stalked off, what would that accomplish? Instead, I tried to see it from his point of view, and I went the extra mile to clean things up. Besides, I figured if he DID move the can back, I could call Yvonne, who has assured us that the can is STAYING where it is *LOL*! Kenwood--ya gots ta love this place! It may indeed sound to some like we're a bunch of loons (judging from some of the threads I've read today), but I think ALL neighborhoods have their little soap operas going on. The difference is, we are trying to work on ours and resolve issues and continually improve. In business they call it ''Continual Quality Improvement'' and it is all the rage. H. Kenwood is in the avante garde again! Anyway, lately whenever I get frustrated with some of the soap operas going on on my particular block, I look out at the trash can. If they: 1.) are where they are supposed to be, and 2.) have no trash around them, then IT'S A GOOD DAY! Tee hee hee! We have to be able to laugh at ourselves, guys! It is a sure sign of health!