Peoria couple robbed in Renaissance Park
Posted by: Seth Ben-Ezra in Cities, Links, Peoria, Renaissance ParkFrom the Peoria Journal-Star:
Once upon a time, the couple enjoyed shopping and strolling in Peoria.
Even as the heart of the city decayed over time, the twosome - now in their 70s - maintained their loyalty to Peoria’s traditional business districts.
That all changed Monday night. Despite safety precautions, they were attacked in a brazen robbery attempt at one of Peoria’s biggest intersections, Main and University streets.
I’m posting this for two reasons, both directed to those of us who live in the Renaissance Park area and want it to flourish.
First, do remember that living here is not just a walk in the park. People get hurt and robbed in our neighborhoods. Do take proper precautions. And when I say “precautions”, I mean things like these:
1) If you are elderly or female, don’t walk unattended, particularly after dark.
2) Be aware of your surroundings. Walk the fine line between being friendly to everyone and suspecting everyone.
3) Be armed, if you can. I know that the laws in Illinois hamstring the ability of law-abiding, peaceful citizens to defend themselves, but do the best that you can.
Second, while we pursue the dream of a beautiful rebirth for this place that we love, we must not lose sight of the fact that we face serious opposition. In particular, the University East neighborhood (where I live) is balanced on a knife’s edge. Encourage your friends to move into this neighborhood and buy houses. Pray for good neighbors to share this land and our lives.
Finally, pray for Renaissance Park. It is only by the grace of God that any city endures in peace. Pray that Jesus would bring his peace to Renaissance Park, so that young and old would once again be able to walk our streets in safety.
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The west bluff as a whole, university east being a part, runs from nice safe neighborhoods like the uplands, to crime infested ghetto areas like flora-ellis. Even u east has a big variation from less then safe to down right scarry. Many of us are well aware of the problems, and lets be honest, the area as a whole is getting worse and getting worse fast. That said it does not have to be that way. To change the area, or at least a part will in my eyes require three things. One is a church group, people who will reach out to the neighborhood with the firmness and love of christ. It is sad for me to say but I have seen to many that belive the way is to water down the message for the masses. This is not the way of God! Step two is to work as a group to expand the safe area. If a crack house is for sale buy it and push back. Step three convince others to move in. Step two and three go hand in hand as many who would come may need a helping hand through short term renting, contract purchase of property, or help fixing a place up. The average church will invest a half a mil in a church building and let the neighborhood around it rot, what would happen if the building were skipped and the neighborhood and people were invested in? Reba place fellowship or plow creek are both examples of what I am refering to. Again the church as a visable active player is the key so set a date and I for one would give it a try.
Well said, Michael! The moving of the Lansberry and Ben-Ezra families into University East is my attempt to be part of Step 1. Indeed, we are seeing God’s hand already at work on Orange Street, as there are many Christians already living there. My family is still not settled into our new home (or our new church, for that matter), but we will need to be talking about the “next step” pretty soon.