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Neighborhood notebook

Salvation Army plan has brows furrowed

Central Oak Park residents, pleased with Children's Village generally, are less enamored with plans to block off streets and possible homeless shelters.

By KATIE WILSON
Published March 27, 2005

Residents of Central Oak Park have always been happy with their neighboring Salvation Army facilities.

Plans to build the Children's Village, a grouping of four foster homes developed by the Salvation Army, was greatly supported four years ago. Today, many residents feel the new homes making up the village helped increase property value in the community.

"It's a stellar operation," said past Central Oak Park Neighborhood Association president Dan Spice. "I'm overwhelmingly impressed."

In hopes of implementing programs that will provide a connection between at-risk children and seniors who may otherwise be alone, the Salvation Army has proposed developing a "family campus." The facilities would occupy the three city blocks between Seventh and Ninth avenues, bounded by 38th to 40th Streets N.

The plan would also block off 39th Street N and it's alleys and 8th Avenue N to through traffic.

"They have no idea how many school buses come through this neighborhood," said Central Oak Park resident W.J. Morris, whose home is two doors away from the Salvation Army's Seventh Avenue property line. "Where are those buses going to stop and pick up their kids?"

Traffic problems are just one of the issues residents are concerned about.

Some neighbors are wary of the Salvation Army's long-term intentions, saying that they have been unclear and secretive about their plans. Citing connections to Boley Centers for Behavioral Health Care Inc. and the Sarasota YMCA, among other organizations, neighbors have speculated that the Salvation Army may eventually use the property to build centers for the homeless.

"It's a NIMBY issue," said Central Oak Park Neighborhood Association president Ken Garliep. "Not in my back yard."

The idea of a potential increase in the homeless population is particularly worrisome to Central Oak Park, which already has struggled to deal with drug and prostitution problems.

Morris points to a colorful playground next to the Salvation Army's main building.

"People are shooting drugs right there," he said. "I can sit in my living room and look across the street, and there it is."

Lisa Paulson, Community Relations Coordinator for the Salvation Army said, "We feel like our new building and our campus will help these problems."

Additional doubts about the long-term plan of the Salvation Army stem from a commitment the organization made to build seven homes to complete the Children's Village. The Village is made up of only four homes. According to neighbors, the building of the last three homes was put on hold due to lack of funding.

All representatives of the Salvation Army said they hope to build a campus integrated into the neighborhood that will be safe for the children living under the supervision of the Salvation Army. Ideas about homeless shelters or halfway houses were never mentioned.

"We're in the very early stages of this," said Maj. Gary Elliott, the Salvation Army South Pinellas County Area Commander. "The plan is on a napkin still."

The city of Lakeland will be host to the Florida Neighborhoods Conference Oct. 20-22. More than 1,200 participants are expected. This year's theme is "Neighborhoods Where We Live, Work and Play," and the three-day event will include workshops, neighborhood tours, speakers and social events.

"It's an opportunity to see what other neighborhoods are doing," Council of Neighborhood Associations president Karl Nurse said. "One of you have been through a problem that another neighborhood's dealing with now. It's a great way to steal ideas."

Conference leaders plan for registration to begin in early summer. More information can be found at www.lakelandgov.net/commdev/planning/fnc.html

Riviera Bay has cleaned out its closets and will host a Spring Neighborhood Yard Sale, starting at 8:30 a.m. Friday and run through Sunday. Riviera Bay Civic Association president David Hoover said the event is a long-standing tradition in north St. Petersburg.

Neighborhood boundaries are 78th Avenue N to 98th Avenue N, east of Fourth Street. Signs with maps of participating homes will point shoppers to neighborhood entrances.

Cromwell Heights Neighborhood Association will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Ave. S.

Maximo Moorings Civic Association will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Maximo Community Resource Center, 4815 34th St. S.

Oakwood Garden Neighborhood Association will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at Norwood Baptist Church, 1818 29th Ave. N.

St. Petersburg readers wishing to submit information for the Neighborhood Notebook should contact correspondent Katie Wilson either by e-mail at KTWils@aol.com or by phone at 742-8838.

[Last modified March 27, 2005, 00:34:19]