by Gerald Lee by Gerald Lee
To whom it may interest:
I have been on a journey over the past weeks that has taken me to places I would not normally go. During this journey, I have seen many changes in the places that I have visited. This journey that I speak of was part of a class that sparked an interest in the things that happen in life.
I visited many places in South Phoenix during this journey. I took in the environment and its people and became enlightened by them. South Phoenix has a reputation of being the bad part of town, but I did not encounter any thing that would make me fearful. That was until I learned what the city had planned for this "wretched place".
The city has planned an urban redevelopment for the area of South Phoenix. This redevelopment is supposed to transform a virtual wasteland into a beautiful and modern part of the city. While this sounds very intriguing, I question the overall effects of this plan.
The city has planned to clean up the area by building parks and recreational areas. They are allowing contractors to build new houses and businesses. The city is also helping to fund things like the Rio Salado Project, which is intended to revive a long dried out stretch of the Salt River. These plans sound great but the way they are implemented are questionable.
I know that I sound negative, but I believe that if these programs are done right, they will transform South Phoenix into a paradise. For those of you who are thinking of moving to the redeveloped South Phoenix, please help those that are already there to make sure that the redevelopment goes well. Also help them to make sure that it does not do more harm than good.