Wards Corner Now – Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia

We live in Denby park.  If you stand in our drive way and look down to your right, you will see a beautiful tree lined street, the trees bloom beautiful in the spring.   The yards are kept up and the homes charming.  People walk their dogs, kids play in their backyards.  Neighbors know and take care of each other.

If you turn and look the other way you will see  run down apartment buildings on Galveston. People sitting outside drinking beer, yelling and loitering.  If you looked at night you would likely see a young lady or two walking up and down the street offering her services.  You would be brave to cross from our side to the other side.  We just don’t do it.
My children cannot ride their bikes, play out front and climb those beautiful blooming trees in the spring, and we sure can’t leave our doors or cars unlocked.  We are awakened by gun shots and sirens on a weekly basis it seems.

City of Norfolk, you disappoint me. When we were looking for a home we found this charming 5 bedroom, we were told the projects were coming down, the city installed cameras.  4 years later, we are still waiting.  We have witnessed no improvement.

Wards Corner has so much potential.  While I am excited about the upcoming improvements I think the city is wasting their money until they deal with Denby Park.  It just festers like a boil in the community.  IF I had my wish they would tear it down tomorrow and build a nice park complex or new homes.   We are tired of the excuses, we are tired of a slum lord that keeps passing by.  Why are these projects still here?

So Norfolk, I would appreciate it if you would come and tell my children the reason they can’t play in their own front yard safely is because the city keeps finding excuses to fix this problem.  Please tell them that you cannot keep their street safe enough for children to play outside.  Please don’t tell me again after a group of teens almost robbed my child of his bike and I stupidly chased them down into the ghetto that there is nothing you can do about it.  Please tell my neighbors who were robbed point blank at 7 am in the morning last year that it happens.  Stop making excuses and clean it up already.

-Tricia in Denby Park.  Tricia asked that her last name be kept anonymous to protect herself and her loved ones.