The Buckingham Herald Tribblog

I was generally pleased with the outcome of the community meeting held at the Gates office last week. It was good to see the Oaks management as well as the business owners. I feel that the meeting was productive in that everyone seems to want the same thing. We are all tired of the loitering and the drinking, not to mention the trash and damage left in its wake.

A couple of weeks ago, there was a lot of trash, beer bottles, food containers etc. by the sign for Buckingham Village. Someone even managed to bend the flagpole and loosen it from the ground. This makes no sense to me. Someone in that courtyard saw and heard the noise. I don't understand why no one called the police. While I have been a thorn in Paradigm's side about common area maintenance, I can almost understand their reluctance to fix things. Why bother, someone will come along and destroy it. And, save for a few tenants, no one else seems to care.

Last week, the police were a very visible presence in our neighborhood. It made a difference on N. Pershing Drive. The crowds of men who hang around the corner and in the courtyards drinking were no where to be found. It was quiet in the neighborhood for a change.

I would propose though, that our local police put some officers on bikes or on foot to work in our neighborhood. And I would also suggest that we get together with the police to form a community neighborhood watch. If we ask the police to get out of their cars and go on foot..we need to do the same.

At times, I feel as if I am bothering the police dispatcher at the non emergency number with my complaints of noise, drinking etc...I really hate to call. The police have more urgent problems to deal with. But if it takes multiple calls on multiple days...I am willing to do my part to work with the police to curb the drinking and loitering in our neighborhood.

I hope our neighborhood will be able to get together periodically to talk about our common problems. I know we can make this neighborhood a great place to live.

We just have to all work together.

Pate McCullough
Buckingham Village 3 resident

The writer is a board member of BU-GATA, the Buckingham Village and Gates of Ballston Tenants Association. --ST

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 2:42 PM