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Guest column/Walk reveals how far some sections of city have fallen

On July 19, I had the privilege to walk with the Steubenville Big Red Band in its annual march-a-thon. As we started out on our 4.5- to 5-mile trip, I began to look around, and to say I was appalled is an understatement. Our city officials should be ashamed of themselves for what has happened to Steubenville.

Let me start at the beginning of our route.

We left the high school and traveled north on Fourth Street into the Historic District. The old homes still stand, some beautiful and some not so beautiful. Thank you, Scott Dressel, for your continued work to preserve this area.

We turned onto Franklin and then marched into the North End projects. Oh my, what a mess … high grass, weeds and litter. Just because it is a housing project area does not mean it should be neglected this way. We continued south on Fifth Street, toward the business section. There we found multiple dilapidated and vacant structures, too many overgrown pieces of property and too much litter.

An old synagogue on Fifth Street sits empty and has fallen into disrepair. It is such a beautiful building with beautiful stained glass windows. It’s a shame this building was never taken care of, and turned into something else. We continued on and crossed North Street, Washington Street and reached Market Street. I think of everything that used to be in areas we had passed. The Paramount Theater and the Hub were the two that immediately came to mind. They’re gone. Why? Because Steubenville tears everything old down after it has fallen into total disrepair. Other cities preserve history, we erase it.

We marched on, past the old Gerrero Building and an empty lot where Gaudio’s Grocery was. There are so many empty lots totally covered with weeds that it’s shameful. On we went, and I must say once we reached Holy Name, the area was very clean. The South End Projects were much cleaner than the North End. We made the turn and came north on Sixth Street, and it is the same as we had seen – empty lots, weeds and litter. It was apparent city streets have not seen a street sweeper in a very long time.

Then we boarded the buses and headed to Pleasant Heights. A part of my heart will always be there, as I was born and raised there and, I must say, it was Camelot. There was no better place to grow up than PH. I know the LaBelle kids feel the same way about their hilltop. As I looked around, Camelot is no more. The First Congregational Church, which is now a private residence, has fallen upon hard times, and the Fireman’s Park is no longer neat as a pin. I bet kids today don’t even realize there are markers at each tree telling who donated that tree. The markers are barely visible now. I remembered all the units lining up at the church area for the Memorial Day parades.

Lawson would be packed with families waiting for the parade to start and all the kids would have their bikes decorated. Remember putting the baseball cards on our bike spokes to make the noise? What great memories.

We started up Lawson and I remembered Grandinetti’s gas station on the corner across from Stan’s Confectionary, Katie’s and Bruno’s Confectionary, Phil the Shoemaker, Stanko’s Florist, Heights, the Laundromat, Sam Davis’ Tavern, Al DeMayo’s store and, of course, the library – they’re all gone now. We crossed the bridge to Labelle and saw the Bush Homestead empty and all overgrown. Sad. We continued on and followed Pittsburgh Street until we reached Oregon Avenue. Stern Grocery sits empty and boarded up, and the homes on Oregon are terrible.

I remember as a kid visiting my aunt on Labelle, I thought the rich people lived on that hilltop. Now, it looks like the ghetto. High grass, weeds and trash are everywhere, and there are boarded up homes. I am sure my mouth was hanging open. There were more grass and weeds growing on the sidewalks than in some yards. I don’t care if you own your home, rent or squat there, have some pride and clean up the property. Why the city does not get on the property owners, I have no idea, but it is shameful. I saw my friend’s house which I visited frequently when we were growing up – there were no windows and an old mattress thrown at the steps. Disgusting. And, again, our city officials let this go on.

Finally we crossed Woodlawn and I felt like we had returned to civilization, where people actually have pride. Granted, there are still a few homes that need some TLC, but not like the ones we just passed.

Steubenville officials put all their eggs in one basket and thought the steel industry would be here forever. No new industries were brought in and now, what incentives do they have to come. Young people cannot wait to leave, and if it wasn’t for the Fransican University of Steubenville, what would we have? City Council cannot even get along with one another and we expect its members to take care of our city?

We had a city manager who stood up to the “good ole boys” and they got rid of her. We got a new one who only rents an apartment, does not move his family here and is already applying for new jobs, and we think he has Steubenville’s best interest at heart? I don’t think so.

Thank you for letting me tell my sad story. Steubenville will always be my home but I am afraid of where it will be in 15 years.

(Tedreau is a resident of Steubenville.)

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