Drug houses, traffic issues, parks discussed at town hall meeting

Neighborhood leaders in northeast Spokane asked the City Council to support them in their efforts to rid residential areas of drug houses, slow speeding traffic and make improvements to the area’s parks.

Council members listened to a series of reports during their annual town hall meeting Monday at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook St.

Kevin Walstrom, president of the Northeast Community Center Association board, said plans are on track for a major new addition to the center to provide expanded medical care as well as more room for day-care services. The new facility also will allow the center to again offer dental care. The programs are offered through agencies housed at the center.

The community center recently relocated its gardens from property west of the center to a new plot at Liberty Avenue and Lacey Street to make room for the expansion. A dedication of the new garden is set for Sept. 29 at 10 a.m.

Deborah Shockley of the Nevada/Lidgerwood Neighborhood Council said volunteers in conjunction with police have closed 11 drug houses in that neighborhood this year.

She asked the City Council to authorize a fence at Nevada playfield along Nevada Street just south of Central Avenue to increase safety for children.

Karen Byrd of the Logan Neighborhood Council said the neighborhood is working with Gonzaga University staff to reduce problems of late-night parties and drinking among college students living off campus. “They are starting to be a better neighbor,” Byrd said of the university.

She also asked the council to consider new zoning rules to lessen problems in high-density residential developments near the university.

Representatives of three community-oriented police substations talked about their successes at containing crime. Volunteers at the Neva-Wood COPS shop helped their neighborhood resource officer close two drug houses recently.

Officer Dan Waters, the neighborhood resource officer assigned to the Logan and Northeast COPS shops, told council members, “I can only stress to you how important our volunteers are to us.”

He said hundreds of drug houses throughout the city bring with them increased crime, abuse and zoning code violations. “It’s everywhere in our city,” he said.

Park issues were mentioned repeatedly on Monday.

Chief Garry Park needs additional fencing for safety, said residents Kathy Scacco and Kathy Gunderson.

Minnehaha Park needs garbage cans, picnic tables and renovation of its tennis courts, possibly into new basketball surfaces, said Shawn Mock.

The Bemiss Neighborhood Council is going to merge some of its efforts with the Hillyard Neighborhood Council because the Bemiss group has had trouble attracting new members and new leaders, said J.J. Moody of the Bemiss area.

The Bemiss council is shifting its meetings to 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Northeast Community Center, which is a half-hour before the Hillyard Neighborhood Council convenes. The Bemiss group will then join the Hillyard council discussions.

Michael Rapp of the Hillyard council said new signs that tell motorists how fast they are going will be installed at the north and south ends of the Hillyard business area. The idea is to get speeders to slow down.

The Hillyard council also has created a new identifying emblem, or crest, that is being printed on T-shirts and other materials.