Cedar Riverside Neighborhood Tour RAP session reflection.
The Cedar Riverside tour took us from the U of M campus, around Cedar Ave, to the Riverside Plaza and ending at the River Bluffs. It is amazing to me, how in such a small geographical location you can have some of the states largest institutions (U of M and Fairview), a National Park, and one of the densest housing complexes west of Chicago home to thousands of new immigrants and refugees. Given the diversity of the neighborhood and the often competing interests, is it possible to create one unified identity of Cedar Riverside? Is that important for a neighborhood? What identity have you associated with Cedar Riverside in the past and did the tour and service work change your perspective? How can the diverse communities of Cedar Riverside work together to enhance the quality of life for all residents while simultaneously protecting a unique natural resource like the Mississippi?
To get credit for this RAP Session please make sure you leave us your response in a comment on this entry or shoot Laura an email at damm0032 (at) umn.edu.
If commenting, please put your full name and umn.edu email address so we know who to give credit to!
Comments
I'm not sure if it is possible to create one unified identity of Cedar Riverside. It is really hard because there are many clashes between cultures. It is really hard to find common ground between a variety of cultures. I am also not sure if unity is important for the neighborhood. Obviously communication and cooperation between businesses is important but a sense of unity is not. Businesses are surviving on their own now without that sense of unity. I still have the same perspective of the cedar riverside neighborhood. I view it as an eclectic, not so safe neighborhood. I do live in Grandmarc but I still do not believe it to be that safe of a neighborhood. This is most likely because the neighborhood is so close to downtown and such an easy place to get to for all metro residents. I believe the diverse communities of Cedar Riverside can work together by helping each other out when one community is in need. Shopping in Co-ops, utilizing the parks, supporting other local business will all help the communities survive and the neighborhood alive.
Posted by: Leslie Breunissen | October 20, 2009 7:50 PM
I'd like to comment on something Leslie said, which was: “I am also not sure if unity is important for the neighborhood.” After saying this, she states that she does not view it as a safe neighborhood. I feel that if we want neighborhoods to be safer, it is absolutely necessary that the people living in them are unified. To use an analogy, think of close families. Close families don't steal from one another, murder one another, or commit any crime against one another. If we could establish this type of unity in a neighborhood, I feel we would be able to cut down crime and therefore make the area safer.
I will admit, though, that I do experience a level of discomfort when I am walking around the area at night. (However, it should be stated that I am not comfortable walking -anywhere- alone at night, as I know that bad things can happen in any neighborhood or area.)
All things considered, I feel SUCH a high level of unity already in the community. Every time I walk in the area, I hear so many people shouting to one another from across the street, greeting each other as friends and starting conversations. I also notice people walking around in pairs or groups moreso than individually. This is very different compared to what I have observed in other neighborhoods in the Twin Cities. Also, the people seem to be more willing to talk to 'outsiders.' Just this past weekend, I took my boyfriend to view the mural we saw on the tour and while we were admiring it, one of the Cedar-Riverside residents came up to us and told us how kids from the neighborhood painted it and was so excited to teach us about the origin of the mural.
Posted by: Kayla Wolfe | October 20, 2009 8:50 PM