To the Editor:
Columnist Sean Kirst's eloquent column July 11 about city living was inspiring.
I, too, read with sadness about the growing exodus of city residents. As I contemplate the quality of life my family enjoys on Syracuse's Southwest side, I find it hard to imagine anything better outside the city.
Each summer night, the porch is our haven -- the place where we greet our
neighbors by name as they walk by. We enjoy the tree-lined streets filled with
beautiful older homes, populated by neighbors who share our commitment to and
love for city living.
Elmwood Park, just a few blocks away, offers great dog-walking opportunities.
The trails are spectacular in every season, and the woods hide magnificent
stone stairways from a bygone era.
Each spring, the Strathmore Tour of Homes brings hundreds of visitors who enjoy the distinctive architecture and welcoming ambiance. The porches along Ruskin Avenue fill with artists exhibiting their work, live music, lively entertainment and vendors offering unique lunch fare.
Onondaga Park is the heart of the neighborhood. Every day it is filled with walkers, runners and neighbors stopping to talk as they walk their dogs and push their strollers. In springtime, the gazebo attracts bridal parties and prom dates. Summer evenings find the gazebo packed with musicians offering free concerts.
Because I live in the city, it takes me about 10 minutes to drive to work at Syracuse University, shopping at Wegmans, Carousel Center or the farmer's market, to dinner or a nightspot downtown or in Armory Square. When the mood strikes, I can easily find an art film or gallery opening, visit a nearby museum or the zoo, or attend an athletic event at the dome.
Our three daughters received an excellent education from the committed teachers of the Syracuse City School District. Corcoran High School offers the rigorous International Baccalaureate program, and outranks many suburban schools on Newsweek's annual list of America's Best High Schools. My daughters went off to college prepared to embrace the diversity they will encounter throughout their professional lives.
City living is rich with culture, history and meaningful human interaction. The neighbors on my street have block parties, play Bunco once a month, celebrate new babies and graduations, and comfort families who have lost a loved one. On many a winter morning, I have headed outside with my snow shovel, only to discover a neighbor has cleared my sidewalk. Home are affordable, and residents take pride in their property.
The surrounding areas often reflect the ravages of urban blight, but every day, concerned citizens and public officials work to restoring stability to these areas. We would all like safe neighborhoods where people own their homes and can send their children outside to play without encountering drugs, gangs or violence. The problems brought on by poverty can destroy neighborhoods and sadly, in many cities, these problems seem to overwhelm the best intentions.
But in Syracuse, with vision and hard work and the commitment of dedicated city dwellers, the belief is reinforced every day that this is a city worth saving -- and a great place to live.
Mary Beth Horsington
Syracuse