Mayor's Night Out

Reminder that the mayor will meet with residents on Monday, May 7, to listen to their ideas, suggestions, complaints, etc.

It was announced in the Citizen that he will meet the first Monday of every month.

Here's the Citizen newspaper's Council Minutes in which Mayor Coleman announced monthly 'evening hours' to meet with all residents. The first meeting is tonight!

http://www.cairoassociationofteachers.com/cai...

It doesn't give the hours, so I'll call the city & then post them.

His office will be open from 5:00 to 7:00 tonight.

So how did it go last night?

It went well:) I was the only person who showed up. The mayor seemed receptive to new ideas. Looking forward to the next Mayor's Open Office & hope more citizens show up.

Next open office should be June 4.

Meanwhile, I just watched two videos that I'd like to share:

"As a Pittsburgh youth besieged by racism in the crumbling remains of the steel economy, Bill Strickland should have been one of the Rust Belt's casualties. Instead, he discovered the potter's wheel, and the transforming power of fountains, irrepressible dreams, and the slide show."

http://www.ted.com/talks/bill_strickland_make...

And...

"In an emotionally charged talk, MacArthur-winning activist Majora Carter details her fight for environmental justice in the South Bronx -- and shows how minority neighborhoods suffer most from flawed urban policy."

http://www.ted.com/talks/majora_carter_s_tale...

Art, music & greenspace (with riverfront access) will uplift Cairo:)

What do you mean by river access? It's 8th & 4th street open? Didn't think the river was up enough to put up the river wall. What about the point? Is it closed too?

Re river access, I mean some pl the view of the river, as well as fishing, BBQing, listening to music.

A large boardwalk in town would be great, but since the city owns The Point, I think we should focus on using it instead.

The Point is open, but it's in poor condition.

My family & friends cooked out at Horseshoe Lake for Mother's Day & I kept thinking how nice it would be if The Point looked like Horseshoe Lake.

There were numerous grills, picnic tables, shelters, outhouses, a dock & open grassy areas for football.

In the video (above), by the woman in NY, she said realizing that her borough had no access to the river prompted her to change that. Now they have a large park on the river for the residents.

Also, I read a post online from someone who stopped at The Point while traveling & they were disappointed that they couldn't even see the rivers. I've heard/read that before & thought the same when I moved here.

some place with a view of the river...*

Seems years ago you could see the Mississippi River from the 28th Street levee but because of the condition of the levee they don't want traffic up there. You can see the Ohio from the 8th Street opening or if you know someone that lives in the Smith housing Authory building. Of course there is the point for both.

I for one would rather have the levees protecting my home than a view of the rivers driving by, cause that's all you would be doing if it wasn't for the levees. There would be no town with out the levees. Maybe one of the minimall/casinos will by the Levee building on 8th St & then you could see the river from upstairs.

Then again for $500-750million they could maybe move the wall in 50 feet for 1000 yards or so for a picnic area.

Horseshoe lake is a State run park. The State is closing serveral so just hope not that one.

One of the best places to see the Mississippi River was between 21st street and 1st streets from the levee. It's too bad that they screwed up the 21st street access and that the levees are no longer taken care of the way they used to be.

Since we no longer have enough tax-payers to afford the upkeep, the city needs volunteers who not only would do the work but insist that it be done.

guest wrote:

I for one would rather have the levees protecting my home than a view of the rivers driving by, cause that's all you would be doing if it wasn't for the levees. There would be no town with out the levees.

I wasn't thinking of removing any levees:)

Could a boardwalk be built on the river side of the levee at 8th Street? Built over the rubble, just to the water?

Improving The Point seems like a more realistic goal. It would mean tree clearing (to expose the view), mowing, picnic tables, grills, trash cans and outhouses/port-a-potties, to start. Then $$ to maintain the park. Maybe someday add wooden shelters on concrete slabs.

A bike path from Cairo proper to The Point would be nice, but maybe just signs designating it as a bike route would suffice.

I'll bet there are plenty of Cairo residents who would be interested in adopting The Point as their group's project. I'd be interested in helping raise funds for that.

and when it floods ?

Haven't you noticed that the land is on an incline, small hill? It's not like on a lake or even the oceans where the water stays relatively the same depth. The boardwalk would be 25-40 feet above the water during most months & under water 1-2 months a year.

What's wrong with the way 8th street opening is now?

Like the bike path ideal though.

hmmmm wrote:

and when it floods ?

I grew up on the Mississippi River and my parents had a summer place on the Rock River. Everyone, where I'm from, accepts that buildings must be cleaned & sometimes rebuilt after EVERY spring flood.

The campground on the Rock was under water most years, but we rebuilt yearly.

guest wrote:

Haven't you noticed that the land is on an incline, small hill? It's not like on a lake or even the oceans where the water stays relatively the same depth. The boardwalk would be 25-40 feet above the water during most months & under water 1-2 months a year.
What's wrong with the way 8th street opening is now?

I don't believe the boardwalk would need to be 25 to 40 feet above the water:) Yes, there is an incline. I used to vacation every summer at the Rhode Island beaches and those boardwalks were high above the beach, because the tide came in every day. You could walk under the boardwalks.

The problem with river access, for non-boaters, at 8th Street, is that you could break your neck trying to walk across the rubble:D

The boat ramp is smooth concrete, but we can't block the boat ramp with benches... although, maybe we could put some on the side of the ramp.

A lighted boardwalk over the rubble would bring more visitors. Although, it would probably cost a small fortune to build even a short length of boardwalk (100-200 feet).

There used to be steps going down to the river just as you come inside the 8th gates.

The point was taken care of by the State of IL like they take care of Horseshoe Lake area until the 90's. What do you think Horseshoe lake will look like if the State stops keeping care of it? Does the city even have the equipment to mow the point? For years they hired outside help to keep it up.