Poverty in Springfield
Letter to the Editor
Lydia Kisley
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
While the article "Bechtle Avenue: One destination for all your needs" (Feb.8) provided a positive view of the area's impact on Springfield's economy, it did not provide a whole and accurate picture of our community's state.
While Bechtle Avenue is providing a much needed economic boost to Springfield, it would not be in the city's best interest for it to become"the epicenter of Springfield."
Poverty is becoming a more and more pressing issue in Springfield. The businesses on Bechtle are segregating the rich and poor areas, "moving up" one area of Springfield, while inadvertently deteriorating the dismal, poor areas. Driving through the southeast and southwest sides of town will show the poor areas of the city are full of boarded up businesses with only a few gas stations and tire centers, while Bechtle Avenue is booming with corporate chains. Because we flock to Bechtle away from the struggling areas of Springfield, businesses in these areas close, causing less jobs in the areas that need them the most.
As students at Wittenberg, we should be concerned with the state of poverty in Springfield. We are members of the Wittenberg community and of the Springfield community. We can do little to try to move businesses to other parts of the city, but we can support the businesses that are already in there, such as Un Mundo Café, Joe's Diner and BW3's. By doing so, we can bring positive business to struggling areas. Bechtle Avenue has a lot to offer to college students, but we must also see what we can offer to the Springfield community.
While Bechtle Avenue is providing a much needed economic boost to Springfield, it would not be in the city's best interest for it to become"the epicenter of Springfield."
Poverty is becoming a more and more pressing issue in Springfield. The businesses on Bechtle are segregating the rich and poor areas, "moving up" one area of Springfield, while inadvertently deteriorating the dismal, poor areas. Driving through the southeast and southwest sides of town will show the poor areas of the city are full of boarded up businesses with only a few gas stations and tire centers, while Bechtle Avenue is booming with corporate chains. Because we flock to Bechtle away from the struggling areas of Springfield, businesses in these areas close, causing less jobs in the areas that need them the most.
As students at Wittenberg, we should be concerned with the state of poverty in Springfield. We are members of the Wittenberg community and of the Springfield community. We can do little to try to move businesses to other parts of the city, but we can support the businesses that are already in there, such as Un Mundo Café, Joe's Diner and BW3's. By doing so, we can bring positive business to struggling areas. Bechtle Avenue has a lot to offer to college students, but we must also see what we can offer to the Springfield community.
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