Many important stories have been covered by the New Britain Progressive in 2018. It may be difficult to name only a few articles as the top stories of the year, but there are a few the New Britain Progressive would like to share as our Top Ten. Other Top Ten stories can be found at “Top Ten Stories of 2018.”
In 2018, there were a number of heartening examples of neighborhood activism, in which residents worked together to do work and press for change to improve the community.
When residents of the North-Oak neighborhood where concerned about speeding and accidents on Allen Street, including one fatality, they organized as part of the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) to restore stop signs that had been removed from the street.
Ald. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-AL) introduced a City Council petition to address their concerns (City Council Petition to Be Introduced on Allen Street Stop Sign). Neighborhood residents advocated for the Board of Police Commissioners to order the restoration of stop signs at the corner of Allen and Carlton Streets (Residents Organizing to Restore Allen St. Stop Sign) and were able to celebrate the decision to restore the signs (Neighborhood Activists Celebrate Stop Sign Restoration).
The New Britain Progressive thanks activist Pablo Rodriguez, who is Vice President of the North-Oak NRZ, for his photographic and other contributions to the Progressive‘s coverage of this story.
The North Oak NRZ held neighborhood clean up events in April (Community Comes Together for North Oak Neighborhood Clean Up) and October (Working Together in North-Oak Clean-Up), and the Arch Area NRZ organized a clean up event in June (Arch Area NRZ “Clean Up, Plant Up” Party Delayed to Jun 16th).
The Arch Area NRZ organized a Build-A-Better Block event (Arch Area NRZ Build-A-Better Block Event to Be Jun 2nd) and there was a neighborhood celebration event at Willow Street Park (North Oak Neighborhood Celebrates at Willow Street Park) while the new East Side Community Center was opened (YWCA Opens East Side Community Center).
These were only a few of the community and neighborhood events covered in the New Britain Progressive in 2018.
Meanwhile, video and photo journalist Antonio C. Lavoy, Sr. provided another kind of activism, providing news coverage of the fire at 408 Arch Street, which burned on February 9, 2018, just a few days after being condemned by the city (Massive Fire at 408 Arch Street Days After Being Condemned by City). New Britain Progressive thanks him for his community journalism as part of the volunteer news coverage in the Progressive.
City Council Petition to Be Introduced on Allen Street Stop Sign
July 27, 2018
Ald. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-AL) is introducing a City Council petition for the city to consider restoring stop signs at the corner of Allen and Carlton Street.
Sanchez’ petition, in the draft as submitted, says, “Please reinstall the stop signs at the corner of Allen St. and Carlton St. as there have been several car accidents and complaints from residents in the neighborhood regarding excessive speeding down Allen Street.”
The petition comes amid strong neighborhood concerns about traffic accidents on Allen Street, including one fatality at a different location on Allen Street.
Neighbors and leadership in the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) have been asking for the city to consider bringing back the stop light that was at the corner of Allen and Oak Streets and the stop sign that was at the corner of Allen and Carlton Streets. The city previously decided to remove both the stop sign and stop light.
The corner of Allen and Carlton Streets has reportedly seen several accidents since the removal of the stop sign by the city, including a recent accident on July 18th.
Ald. Sanchez stresses that he has great respect for Police Chief James Wardwell and the process by which the New Britain Police and the Board of Police Commissioners make decisions on the need for traffic controls.
Sanchez says that he is introducing his petition in light of accidents that have been occurring on Allen Street. He says that in light of this, and neighborhood concerns, there is a need to reassess whether the stop signs should be re-installed at Allen and Carlton.
A City Council petition is procedure in New Britain by which an individual member or more than one member of the Council is empowered to require consideration of action from or a report by a city department or commission. Council members frequently use this process to formally propose that the city take action on a particular concern.
Ald. Sanchez’ petition would be introduced at the August 8, 2018 City Council meeting. A report would be made back to the Council in response to the petition at a future meeting.
Residents Organizing to Restore Allen St. Stop Sign
September 18, 2018
Neighborhood leaders and activists are organizing people to advocate at the September 18, 2018 Board of Police Commissioners meeting in support of restoring the stop signs at the corner of Allen and Carlton streets.
“Please come out let the commission know how dangerous this area is and why they need to put back the intersection light back on the corner of Allen and Oak as well!,” said Pablo Rodriguez, Vice President of the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ).
“In the memory of Angel ‘Kiki’ Colon,” he added.
The Police Board was referred a City Council petition that was introduced by Ald. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-AL) calling for the city to consider restoring stop signs at Allen and Carlton Streets.
Sanchez’ petition called for, “reinstallation of stop signs at the intersection of Allen Street and Carlton Street, as there have been several car accidents and complaints from residents in the neighborhood regarding excessive speeding on Allen Street.”
Neighbors and leadership in the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) have been asking for the city to consider bringing back the stop light that was at the corner of Allen and Oak Streets and the stop sign that was at the corner of Allen and Carlton Streets. The city previously decided to remove both the stop sign and stop light.
The corner of Allen and Carlton Streets has reportedly seen several accidents since the removal of the stop sign by the city.
A City Council petition is procedure in New Britain by which an individual member or more than one member of the Council is empowered to require consideration of action from or a report by a city department or commission.
Council members frequently use this process to formally propose that the city take action on a particular concern.
In introducing the petition, Ald. Sanchez stressed that he has great respect for Police Chief James Wardwell and the process by which the New Britain Police and the Board of Police Commissioners make decisions on the need for traffic controls.
Sanchez says that he introduced his petition since, light of neighborhood concerns, there is a need to reassess whether the stop signs should be re-installed at Allen and Carlton.
The Board of Police Commissioners meeting is September 18, 2018, at 7:00pm in the New Britain Police Department Community Room at 10 Chestnut Street.
Neighborhood Activists Celebrate Stop Sign Restoration
September 20, 2018
North-Oak neighborhood residents are celebrating the restoration of the stop signs at the corner of Allen and Carlton streets.
“We are proud to announce after a long struggle with the City of New Britain, last night the Board of Police Commissioners voted unanimously to restore the stop sign back on the corner of Carlton & Allen,” said Pablo Rodriguez, Vice President of the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ).
Numerous people responded online to Rodriguez’ comments, expressing support for the decision to restore the stop signs at the intersection.
Rodriquez said that the plan is to restore the stop sign next week.
Community activists have been advocating for the signs to be reinstalled after having been previously removed. Neighbors have been concerned about accidents on Allen Street, including one fatality.
The corner of Allen and Carlton Streets has reportedly seen several accidents since the removal of the stop sign by the city.
The issue came most recently to the Board of Police Commissioners because of a City Council petition introduced by Ald. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-AL). That petition called for, “reinstallation of stop signs at the intersection of Allen Street and Carlton Street, as there have been several car accidents and complaints from residents in the neighborhood regarding excessive speeding on Allen Street.”
A City Council petition is procedure in New Britain by which an individual member or more than one member of the Council is empowered to require consideration of action from or a report by a city department or commission.
Council members frequently use this process to formally propose that the city take action on a particular concern.
In introducing the petition, Ald. Sanchez stressed that he has great respect for Police Chief James Wardwell and the process by which the New Britain Police and the Board of Police Commissioners make decisions on the need for traffic controls.
Rodriguez said, “Thank you everyone who was part of making this change.” He added that, “we would like to give special thanks to City Aldermen Emmanuel Sanchez for submitting a petition on the behalf of the residents of the North Oak NRZ, also Yvonne Muniz and Nicole Crawford Rodriguez from the New Britain Board of Education.
Rodriguez said that Muniz and Crawford Rodriguez cited the number of bus stops on Allen Street as reason to support the restoration of the stop signs.
“It’s my pleasure to advocate for the New Britain residents,” Muniz replied online.
“I am excited to see this back … finally,” added Crawford Rodriguez, the School Board President. “It was our pleasure to help. My kids’ bus stop was on Allen Street.”
