The city’s plan to sell the former Boys & Girls Club building on 21st Street to The Lord’s Diner for a satellite location to feed the needy is on hold for the moment, according to city council member Lavonta Williams, who represents the district.
In recent weeks, Williams met with neighborhood representatives to try to reach a consensus. But that didn’t work out. She hopes to discuss solutions with City Manager Robert Layton on Friday, but said she’s not sure when the council might consider some type of agreement.
The arguments are complex, but generally boil down to some being concerned that the location could lead to an increase in crime in an area they’ve fought hard to clean up and others believe it’s the best location to reach out to those in need with a no-questions-asked meal.
“We understand that everyday there’s more of a need for a feeding station,” Williams said today. “So we do have to find a place. There’s no doubt about it.”
Many people have offered suggestions, Williams said, but an agreeable location has proved elusive thus far. “It’s a difficult situation,” she said.
5 Comments
So put it downtown so people can use public transportation to get to it.
the b & g is the biggest eyesore on 21 streets… I would make sure that it stayed the same… Worries about neighbors seeins you there, it being so close to home. the entrance doesn’t have to face the street,so the evening crowds would/could be hidden from view. Crime in the north hood …LMAO… the crime rate might go down…. they aints tryin to rob the cum&go blind for a meal..
I think feeding the kids is great! Better yet would be to not have kids if you can’t feed them yourself. But it is better than feeding the adult bums because the kids might end up actually contributing to society. Another benefit might be that the well fed adult criminals who might live close by won’t cruise the city looking for targets as often if they are not hungry. Hopefully all of the previously mentioned visitors from out of town won’t confuse it with a hot new restaraunt on their way to see some country music at the Intrust (I wish they would have told us they were making the arena a giant billboard for less than 1% of the total cost) Arena.
It would really be nice to see the city work along with WSU to bring a Neighborhood Market Wal Mart to the location. They need jobs in the area more than anything. Things have been spruced up along E 21st for the university, jobs would reap benefits for the neighborhood including increase enrollment at WSU. The city should make a priority to bring jobs to this area WalMart or not. Stop the bleeding, just don’t put a band-aide over it.
It is a good thing that the Lord’s Diner is a Christian run organization-or they might turn away any one from the area that rejected them