On July 31, 2007 nearly thirty neighbors gathered in the grassy expanse of Clokey Park to discuss forming a neighborhood organization. A mix of hope and despair mingled in the breeze as some remembered earlier times, others discussing recent incidents of crime, vandalism, and more impatiently the apathy expressed among most of the neighborhood to become involved in activities that might help the Clokey Park neighborhood become a better neighborhood.
This July, I approach my five year anniversary as "organizing" president of the Clokey Park Neighborhood Association. At times it seems only yesterday I was contacting University of Illinois Extension to place the organization on the Adopt-A-Street program. Other times seem more like I have "organizing" for many, many years.
Yet in five years time, Clokey Park neighborhood and its still-young neighborhood organization has witnessed both the positive and the challenging (I refuse to say negative, since that would imply defeat) events and activities that many historic inner-city neighborhoods across the Midwest have experienced. Some events and activities experienced by Clokey Park have been fully out of its control; economic times, employment conditions, education issues.
Nearby redevelopment is happening. The most visible changes are the Pines Shopping Center redevelopment and street scape work on East Eldorado Street. Less visible to the neighborhood, but will indirectly impact it is the redevelopment of downtown Decatur and Nelson Park. Development money, whether public or private, chases development money. With a new shopping center, other developers will want a piece of redevelopment nearby. With a redeveloped regional park, people interested in being close to park amenities will take a second look at property near a dog park, beach, and recreational trails and facilities.
Rather murky is the situation involving the former Roach School property. Our shuttered elementary school had become an eyesore by 1999, and the topic of continuous conversation during the first four years of our group. Such a large piece of property cleared within a neighborhood is rare, but challenging redevelopment issues are part of its future.
Since being first platted into streets, alleys, and utilities in the 1870s, Clokey Park neighborhood has benefited from wide sidewalks for people to literally walk to the factories located near the railroads, the brick streets to keep the neighborhood accessible and clean, and utilities to bring clean water, eliminate wastes, heating fuel and electricity. But such services require maintenance and upkeep at all times and much of our infrastructure requires repair and replacement. Much of our infrastructure is still basically sound, making Clokey Park a basically livable and sustainable community. Its fragility is more and more apparent, and a basically livable and sustainable community is not a fully attractive community for citizens to live and thrive. Our reputation is based on the infrastructure we keep. History has its charms, but it also has limitations.
Our historic character has another challenge; desirability. I find it amusing to watch Househunters on HGTV with young couples seeking historic homes of 1500 (or more)square feet with many closets, master bath, a suburban sized lot, but within walking distance of stores and businesses. Hopefully, you recognize the physical impossibilities in such convoluted desires. Most homes in Clokey Park are 1,000 feet or less, have small closets, and small lots. And stairs, lots of them, whether to the front porch/entryway or down to the unfinished basements. A recent positive change is the desire to live closer to one's work. A challenge is suburban lifestyle desires for neighborhoods that have structures built for earlier suburban lifestyles; small, easy to maintain, basic necessities met. The good life can be found in living under 1000 square feet of space, but our oversized, bigger-is-better mentality of living is rarely overcome.
One challenge is finding re-investors to our historic neighborhood. As stated, most of our property, by historic design, is not appealing to current housing trends and desires. Most of the neighborhood was divested by homeowners desiring larger properties in the newer suburbs constructed in the post World War II, automobile as king era. Clokey Park has a nearly 70% rental rate, with most "residents" residing less than 3 years in a given home. The recent economic downturn has forced some to remain in their current locations, but it is not an uncommon sight to see a moving truck in front of a home four times in a year, as renters find other property. Roach school closed in 1983, and with it began the neighborhood disinvestment of its children by being bused to newer school buildings separated from their own neighborhoods. Without a local school as a community center, the neighborhood tends to drift to anonymity. Neighborhood pride declines as neighborhood infrastructure is divested. Why stay when you can move away? Those who could, did.
A positive re-investment project for Clokey Park Neighborhood has been its participation in the annual Miracle Day program. The Miracle Day program, initiated by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Illinois and Wisconsin and organized by Prairie Avenue Christian Church, is a one day service program targeting the remaining homeowners, many whom are limited in income to maintain historic homes and their aging infrastructure of porches, gutters, etc. Over thirty homeowners have benefited from new paint, repairs, and maintenance projects done on the last Saturday of August. These small beautification efforts tend to ignite interest among neighbors to complete other projects long delayed to enhance their own properties.
Revitalizing pride within the neighborhood is key. Pride takes ownership in community. Rather than focusing on what has been lost, one should honestly see what is yet to be and take pride in being part of the community. Clokey
In five years, much has happened in Clokey Park. City officials and officers are a phone call away, and actively inquiring about possible projects and programs to help the neighborhood. Park district officials have interviewed us about needs and issues involving their property within our boundaries. In many ways, we have gained ourselves a place at the table of many groups who are seeking to assist and help this neighborhood change from surviving to thriving. But thriving will take time.
At this crossroads moment, I firmly believe the possibilities outweigh our liabilities. Challenges many. Opportunities, many more. The seeds are being planted around us. What seeds will we plant within us?
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