Preparing for Economic Recovery

Merion Village will be kept in great condition even during the city’s budget cuts with a just a bit of help from the residents.  In doing so, we’ll remain a neighborhood that remains safe and clean, thus giving us an advantage while the City prepares for economic recovery.

Here’s some tips;

• While it may seem counter-intuitive, the neighborhood is actually safer when you choose not to pull your shades and blinds.  Fully covered windows are an indication to people on the street that no one is watching.  Keeping the blinds open, if not fully then at least partially, indicates that people are around and actively connected with what’s going on outdoors. The more eyes watching, the less potential exists for petty crime.

• Sweeping the curb in front of your house is a quick and simple way to make the neighborhood look and feel great.  Street cleaning is already erratic, but trash collection and yard  waste isn’t, so clean the debris from in front of your house and place it where the city can collect it.  Imagine how much money the city could save if everyone cleaned their own curbs.

• While you’re at it sweep a portion of the alley behind your house.

• Shovel your walks.  One of the best attributes of Merion Village is its pedestrian access to just about everything.  An unshoveled walk inhibits one of the very reasons people choose Merion Village.  Remember that a shoveled walk is an indication that someone inside is in tune with what’s happening outside.  And as friend of mine once said (he also happened to be our neighborhood priest) – “shovel past the property line, even if it’s just a shovel-width or two.”

• When you’re out for a walk or taking the dog to the park, bring along a spare trash bag and pick up the stray pieces of litter along the way.  In addition to the exercise you’re getting by walking, you can add a bit more to it by bending and stooping.  No one likes  having to pick up after someone else, but if each of us picks up a bit each time we’re out, the neighborhood will be cleaner without having to ask the City for assistance.  Our Ganther’s Place neighbors schedule litter clean-up nights and it’s been an effective tool for keeping their streets and alleys safer.

However you choose to contribute to keeping Merion Village in tip-top shape, please take a couple of extra minutes to reach across the property line and help someone nearby.  The interactions we have as neighbors in preparing Merion Village for the upcoming economic recovery will benefit all of us.