As I mentioned in my previous post, I said there would be praise which couldn’t be more timely.
First, congratulations to the Lansdale Parking Authority for securing $2.5 million from the State through Representative Robert Godshall’s office. A month or so ago, the Lansdale Historical Society presented, “Revitalization Throughout the Years,” which detailed Lansdale’s attempts at the development of the Madison parking in the '60s and then the '80s and then again in the early 2000s. For one reason or another all these attempts had failed.
That is until this most recent push from the Parking Authority.
While there is still a lot that needs to be done before the project commences, this certainly is a good start. I know that the businesses in town — whether old or new — will appreciate the additional foot traffic of up to 500 or more people within a three-minute walk. Another hope is that this Transit Oriented Development (TOD) will help stimulate a demand to fill the vacant storefronts along Main and Broad in the heart of town. More people means more business and more businesses mean a more dynamic downtown experience.
Second, I must also tip my hat to this council for their support of the Lansdale Police Department. By adding six additional officers since 2010, the department has gone from a reactionary mode in dealing with crime to a more planned, methodical approach. With more officers on the streets there is a message that is clear: crime will not be tolerated in Lansdale.
A recent example is the apprehension of three suspects in the Hen’s Coins aggravated assault and robbery. Within three days, the suspects were in custody. And crime overall in Lansdale has dropped 30 percent in the past three years (Wouldn’t it be nice if crime dropped 10 percent every year?; in seven more years, we’d be crime free). This tenacity of the Lansdale Police Department should help to allay the fears and concerns of residents and business owners in town.
As I have said numerous times, all of our efforts at revitalization don’t mean a thing without safe streets.
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