Good Folks June 09
Posted by somovillager on June 10, 2009
By George Young
This is a series of articles profiling some of the residents who live and work in the South Mountain/Laveen Village. In keeping with the original format of the Villager to only print the positive, we will attempt to acknowledge some of the great folks that have contributed so much to our lives and are hopefully role models for all of us. .
Well folks this month I am doing a rerun, sorry, I have been getting lazy, must be the heat, can’t seem to get motivated. My good friend Verna gave me an article she saved from The Star Newspaper from, February 27th. 1974. I know this a long time ago, but she just has all the historical stuff. Anyway I thought I would rerun this story because it will give those folks that have not lived in our Village for the last 35 years or so an idea of how long the folks have been advocating for change. I think I was about 10 years old at that time. This is in part, pretty much word for word, except where I inserted a few comments and the last paragraph that was too worn to make out.
We are part of Phoenix
“Recently, Regional Urban Design Assistance Team of the America Institute of Architects visited our city to make suggestions regarding the future development of metropolitan Phoenix. Three Southsiders attended the citizen’s forum in the City Council Chambers at which time the team headed by Lawrence Melillo, of Louisville, Kentucky, listened to various citizens groups.
Present from the South of the Salt (The Rio Salado used to be The Salt River) area were Sherman Bendalin, a member of the South Phoenix Citizens Planning Committee, Evelyn Adams, president of the Greater South Mountain Business Association, and the Reverend Kenneth Kilian, who represented the South of the Salt Planning Association. The following comments are excerpts regarding the future of the Southside area.
“In the development of metropolitan Phoenix, efforts should be made to bring it (The South Mountain Village) into the rest of the community. This has not been done, even in recent years as is indicated by the fact the Central Phoenix Plan stops on the north side of the Salt River, the governmental Mall is planned to only include the other side of the Rio Salado, and recent car pool plans stops at Washington Street.
We therefore make the following recommendations: Extend the Central Phoenix Plan to include the entire stretch of South Central Avenue leading to South Mountain Park. Also we urge the following: Creative development of the Rio Salado project: Renovation of South Central Avenue (including the installation of power lines underground, construction of side walks, modern lighting, updating of buildings, redesign of store fronts, sign control, and beautification); Economic development needs to be initiated. This should include a study of locations of industrial corridors, a study of how money does or does not come back into the Southside community, and a determination of what to do about pollutant industries such as sand and gravel operations along the river bed.
Southsiders also wish to preserve the South Mountain Park and the adjacent foothills. Open space is currently a resource which can provide beauty and balance to their community. Greater density should be established along the Salt River. “
God Bless Mr. Sherman Bendalin, Mrs. Evelyn Adams and Reverend Kenneth Kilian and God Bless The South Mountain/Laveen Village and God Bless America.
