For your first blog response, briefly describe at least two facts you've learned about Johnsons Park Neighborhood Association through the article packet handed out last week in class, viewing the JPNA site or your own research. Your post should be at least 150 words.
Write your response in the comment section below. Don't forget to include your name in your post.
Also, take a look at the NY Times article I've posted...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
jjj
ReplyDeleteI was excited, when i first heard, we were going to be volunteering in the Alices Garden. i love to plant flowers, but i am not good at growing vegtables, so this is going to be a great learning experience for me.This area of town is more famous then we think, our professor Ms. Greene, let us know, that part of the under ground rail road , ran through this comunity, this means that, in part, of Milwaukee very racial past, their were whites willing to risk their lives, to help escaping slaves.Also that Ophrah Winfrey attended school in the community. And thank goodness, Mr.Zilber grew up in the community.He grew up,decided to , come back and share his wealth, with people he dosnt even know. One of the best parts of the articles, was the story Lisa Jones Townsel, wrote about Ms Sias. she believes in embracing the past, even the painful parts. Sometimes ,she says, we fail to hold on to our own history-all of it. And the part where Sias talks about a piece of her mothers, maternity dress, has been sitcheded, into the quilt.That was kind of funny to me, i do remember when my grandma, or my mother, would get, pregnant and would wear those, big house dresses , until it was time to deliver. And the best thing i read, was that the police chief flynn, (who is doing a wonderful job)) he has, stated the crime rate, has gone down. He uses more foot patrols, and roll call on the city streets, which is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that grabbed my attention about JPNA was the amount of new housing development and rehabilitation that has occurred in the area – 165 new and 221 refurbished homes. This seems like a significant project for Milwaukee. As I read more, the meeting with Mayor Barrett highlighted the on-going need to keep the neighborhood and new construction sites safe. I knew the city had demolished many neighborhoods to make way for the freeway system, but I didn’t realize that they left so many open lots when the freeway project was reduced – it seems only fair that state and local government should repair what they tore down so many years ago. JPNA illustrates how many sections of the community came together to improve their area; many of the people interviewed in the articles took great pride in being part of the association. Now, the Zilber foundation, Medical College of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Partnership Program (UWM) are all channeling money into various health and economic programs aimed at the Lindsey Heights area (the heart of JPNA). Hopefully this momentum will continue and spread to other neighborhoods nearby. What concerns me is getting businesses and jobs back into the area - not just minimum wage, Church’s Fried Chicken jobs, but living wage jobs. I’m interested to see how our service work can help…
ReplyDeleteWhat I found interesting about the development of this neighborhood was the fact that they had rehabilitated and refurbished so many homes as opposed to tearing them down to build new in the same place. Not only is this cost effective, but also it helps hold on to some the historical significance of the neighborhood. I think it is important to preserve what already exists rather than to replace something that just needs work. I also thought it was interesting how focused the community is on improving public health, from the community gardens, to walking groups, to fighting to keep fast food restaurants out of the neighborhood. A lot of thought seems to be going in to how to improve this area, and from what I’ve read it seems to be moving in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI came across a lot of interesting things that caught my attention after reading the article packet about the about Johnsons Park Neighborhood Association since I’m not that familiar with that area. The first thing that really caught my attention was the fact that Joseph Zilber was basically donating $50 million of his own money to help fix up this neighborhood that has seen better times. The reason I found that interesting is because I did a project last semester on the Pabst Redevelopment project which is also being run and funded by Joseph Zilber, so its good to see that he is also giving back to neighborhoods in Milwaukee that are in need. The second thing that I found very interesting was the article about residents of this area that are protesting Church’s Chicken. I think it’s good that they are trying to promote more choices other then just fast food since there is already an abundance of fast food restaurants in this area. These healthier choices could lead to better businesses moving into the area as well.
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar with this area of Milwaukee and I was eager to learn more about it. The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that Mr. Zilber cares so much about peoples’ education and well-being that he is willing to donate millions of dollars to help them out. He thinks these people should have the chance to earn an education and live a more normal life. The second thing that interested me was the fact that the WHEDA project built 165 new homes and rebuilt 221 more in a neighborhood that most people would be afraid of. This area used to be full of drugs and crime and now these people are building it back up to its full potential and trying to make something good out of something bad. With enough money this neighborhood can be built back into a community and maybe some of the people that still live in the community will get a tiny glimpse of hope.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that interested me in these articles was how the Zilber Family Foundation works together with existing foundations in the Lindsay Heights area as well as working with the members of the community to make the neighborhood better. They got the neighborhood involved by letting them decide how to use the money that the Zilber foundation gave to the community. Zilber said he wanted the plans to come “from the ground up; not the top down.” The second thing that I though was very interesting was how the neighborhood associations are trying to make their neighborhood greener. They have encouraged the community to plant gardens in their own yards as well as providing a 2 block gardening plot called Alice’s Garden, which can be used by any one in the community. They also offer tools and seeds for the community to use as well as education on what to do with the plants that are grown in these plots.
ReplyDeleteI thought that it was really interesting and commendable that Joseph Zilber listened to suggestions from the community, when he announced that his family foundation would contribute $50 million to improve these poor communities. I feel that this is very important because the people who are affected by this contribution should have a lot of say in what needs to be enhanced. I was also really touched by the 102 year old woman in the “Lindsay Heights steps into a new era” article. When this woman, Harriet Dorsey, was asked why she hadn’t moved when everyone else on her block had, she said it was because her husband had bought the house for her. I can understand the connection that people have with the places they live. It is important that these families are able to stay in these houses that are so important to them and not be forced to leave because of crime and new construction. So it was encouraging to see that this neighborhood that had be basically demolished in the 1960’s to build freeways, was being restored by WHEDA (Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority). The WHEDA project restored 221 houses and built 165 new homes.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting things that I got out of the reading was how the neighborhood first started to change and become more associated with crime. I remember my dad telling me that Milwaukee wasn't always known for its crime and that the connection is only recent. I think that some of these articles address that. It is interesting that the neighborhood changed so much so fast when buildings were demolished to build freeways and when local businesses on North Ave closed or moved out in the 1960s. I'm glad to know that buildings are being rebuilt and redone so that the neighborhood can build itself back up. It's also very reassuring to hear the crime rates in the area are decreasing and that overall it is becoming safer. Another interesting article for me was the one on whether the Church's Chicken restaurant should be built or not. I thought the debate was very interesting because both sides had arguments that could potentially help the community. If the restaurant was built, it would promote unhealthy eating habits for the community but it would also bring in jobs for the community. - Jake Kornely
ReplyDeleteJohnson’s Park Neighborhood Association is one of Milwaukee’s most engaged community organizations. The association focuses exclusively on improving the quality of life for its residents, and improving the image of what many refer to as a rough part of town. For going on 10 years now there have been massive collective efforts to rebuild and develop low income communities, and JPNA has been involved from the start. The Lindsey Heights Project is just one example of how much good can come from a collective community effort. The project gives local low income residents the opportunity to own a new home at nearly half the cost. In 2006, through the Lindsey Heights Incentive, homes were going for as little as $117,000. As if it couldn’t get any better, through this incentive, vacant housing lots are being sold for $1. In addition to restoring good faith and hope in this once broken down community, the project has had a tremendous economical impact as well. Houses being built on these $1 lots are selling at an average of $180,000. Since the kick off of the Lindsey Heights Incentive the development has added over 15 million dollars to the tax base.
ReplyDeleteHi. Just thought id post, i know im late .. but after reading about Johnson’s Park Neighborhood Association. It sounds like a great opportunity to build up the community. The park looks nice. i looked it up online it looks like it will look very nice in the spring. i noticed some pretty big homes and old homes. i think it will be very cool when they restore some more of the old homes. I think it is really cool when they keep the original feel of a neighborhood. when the Johnson’s Park Neighborhood reaches the goals they have in store. it will be a gem in the middle of Milwaukee.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of the neighborhood Garden. My family had a garden when i was young. the knowledge you can gain from a garden is amazing. it take allot of work . but it brings an entirely new meaning to a home cooked meal..
The first thing I found interesting was how Joseph Zilber has decided to help out the city he grew up in and that Lindsay Heights and Clarke Square are only the first of ten areas that will be fixed up by the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative. There are a lot of areas around the country that need a lot of help but it is nice to see something being done in Milwaukee. It is also nice to see that so many agencies familiar with the area involved in the project because with their help and the help of the residents in the neighborhood they will really be able to target those parts of the neighborhood that really needs to be fixed up. Another thing I found interesting was how they are trying to cover all aspects of this project like where the people will eat and what they will eat. Residents in the neighborhood are trying to stop the development of Church's Chicken but it would create new jobs and bring healthcare into the neighborhood but the downside is that its unhealthy if the residents eat there too often it could harm them.
ReplyDeleteI am really excited to be doing service learning at the Johnsons' Park Neighborhood association. I was particularly in awe of the fact that Joseph Zilber donated 50 million of his own money to revitalize this community, I am excited about the fact that they have Alice's garden because it is very rare for urban environments to have affordable produce in their neighborhood. I also thought it was interesting that the money donated was used to build better homes in the area and also to renovate older homes of the lifetime residents as opposed to tearing those down and rebuilding the whole neighborhood, that shows me that the neighborhood is interested in preserving their community while also strengthening it with more resources. I love the fact that the residents determine what is needed and that they have created an organized environment, I am also glad to see that the crime rate has been lowered and I am glad that this is one of the first steps that the City is taking in order to revitalize within instead of from the outside in. I know it will be that much more successful from this approach
ReplyDelete