The Evanston City Council will reevaluate its decision to partner with Northwestern and add blue light emergency call boxes to off-campus neighborhoods after numerous residents voiced concerns about the boxes at Monday night's meeting.
The council originally approved the joint effort, which calls for installing nine emergency phones in neighborhoods and at El stops for student and public use, at its last meeting three weeks ago. The city will reconsider installing emergency boxes in neighborhoods, while the proposed blue-lights at El stops will continue as planned.
Calls made from the off-campus boxes would go to the Evanston Police Department, while on-campus boxes are connected to University Police. NU planned to fund the boxes' installation, which would cost about $82,000, while Evanston would be responsible for the boxes' maintenance. The initiative was a joint effort between students, administrators and the City Council.
Evanston resident and real estate agent Carolyn Smith told the council and attendees at the meeting that when she was showing a client a house on Orrington Avenue, he saw the call box near Foster-Walker Complex and questioned the area's safety. Smith, who lives near campus, said she was surprised she hadn't heard about the plan until after the council voted on it.
"I was really surprised when I heard about the blue lights that nobody asked us what we thought of it," Smith said. "We get asked about a lot of things and this seems like one of those things we would have been asked about."
Several who spoke in opposition of the blue lights said that, as permanent residents, they should have the right to determine what safety measures are needed in their neighborhood, not NU.
"We walk the same streets as Northwestern students do," NU-City Committee and Northwestern Neighbors member David Schoenfeld said. "We walked them before they came. We will walk them after they leave."
Schoenfeld and other residents also questioned how often blue light phones were used.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 12
Outraged
posted 11/13/07 @ 3:42 AM CST
The thing that bothers me most are comments like this:
'"We walk the same streets as Northwestern students do," NU-City Committee and Northwestern Neighbors member David Schoenfeld said. (Continued…)
billyjoe
posted 11/13/07 @ 8:18 AM CST
The red herring in all the contention over the blue lights:
How many times have students actually used them to report robbery or assault? There must be a log somewhere detailing this data. (Continued…)
Mimi Peterson
posted 11/13/07 @ 8:40 AM CST
Hey OUTRAGED, check your facts! The guy who built the house I grew up in, built it in 1841-43, in a place called Ridgeville. Before William Foster built my house on the ridge, there was a guy named Major Mulford, he arrived in Grosse Point in the 1830's. (Continued…)
billyjoe
posted 11/13/07 @ 11:09 AM CST
I remember the 95 degree temperatures the day that Mr. Wheeler expired. Practicing football drills in that kind of weather is bound to kill someone, supplements or no supplement. (Continued…)
amanda
posted 11/13/07 @ 12:23 PM CST
I feel like I am always posting on these websites as of late. But I just cannot believe this. As the article states
"Evanston resident and real estate agent Carolyn Smith told the council and attendees at the meeting that when she was showing a client a house on Orrington Avenue, he saw the call box near Foster-Walker Complex and questioned the area's safety. (Continued…)
billyjoe
posted 11/13/07 @ 12:33 PM CST
Amanda:
I know the blue box on Orrington that you speak of.
Its presence didnt save you from being robbed--at gunpoint. I've read your previous posts, and it seems youre going to relish detailing your Evanston misfortune for the rest of your life--as if youre the only person in town to ever experience being robbed. (Continued…)
Max
posted 11/13/07 @ 12:39 PM CST
If any Evanston resident did not realize that they were moving into a sometimes dangerous neighborhood that 9 moths of the year will be filled with college kids and that both of these realities have associated challenges, then they are clueless and don't deserve to be listened to. (Continued…)
Brian
posted 11/13/07 @ 4:38 PM CST
I'm very disappointed that the city of evanston did not consult residences before the agreement was made, but I still think that when all the aspects of weighed, blue lights are the best option for everyone in the area. (Continued…)
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