Welcome New Neighbors
Moving day is now behind us, and we all have a different landscape of people in our environment. Welcome all to the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood!
Our neighborhood is named for the large park to the Northeast and Lapham School in the center. Our community is composed of a healthy, heterogeneous mix of students and non-students, families with children and without, and older, longtime residents. It is a diverse community, and one which provides many opportunities.
We have several parks in the neighborhood: Tenney Park is the biggest and best known. There are tennis courts, soccer fields, playground equipment, park shelters, a beach with volleyball courts, and ice skating. Giddings Park is a "secret" treasure. It is located at the north end of Brearly St. It is usually very quiet, and there is a wheelchair-accessible pier, which is wonderful for watching sunsets, ducks and meteor showers. Reynolds Park is located on the 800 block between Mifflin and Dayton. It has open spaces and soccer goals. It is fenced on three sides and bounded on the fourth by a water utility building, on top of which there are tennis courts. James Madison Park and Burr Jones Field border the neighborhood at either end.
One of the principal reasons some people choose to locate in this area is its proximity to the University. It certainly has that distinction, but other benefits are even closer at hand. Before you get in the car and go to one of the outlying malls, be sure to check out the local businesses. Food and drink are close at hand, and the neighborhood has a number of specialty shops which draw people from all around the city.
We hope you take as much pride in your new homes as we do in the neighborhood. If renters have any problems with their landlords, they can always call the Tenant Resource Center at 257-0143 for assistance. Garbage day is Thursday. Please don't put garbage out on the curb before Wednesday evenings, and take the garbage cans back as soon as you can on Thursday. It is best to put recyclables apart from garbage, and make sure to use Madison Pride bags for recycling.
Our representative to the City Council is Barb Vedder. She gives an update in each issue of this newsletter entitled "In Alder Words" Our County Board Supervisor is Judy Wilcox. She hasn't responded to our requests, so to get an update on county government that affects our area, you can call her directly at 266-9388. Our elected representatives at the state level are Fred Risser in the senate, and in the assembly, Tammy Baldwin, who is also a frequent contributor to this publication. If you live between Livingston St. and the Yahara, you vote at Lapham School. (Enter from Ingersoll St.) If you live West of Livingston St., your polling place will be the Salvation Army gymnasium on East Washington Ave. (Voters enter from Mifflin St.)
We are fortunate to be among the areas which get special attention from the streets department http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/streets/streets.html. Streets get much cleaner if they are swept all the way to the gutter, and our streets are swept each Thursday morning. Look for street signs which forbid parking from 8 a.m. until noon. The street sweeper comes along as scheduled, a parking enforcement officer right in front.
Madison has a lower crime rate than many cities of its size. We do experience crime here, however, and you should take all of the usual precautions. Looking out for yourself is an important part of reducing crime. Just as important is looking out for your neighbors. If you see suspicious behavior, report it. Our neighborhood "Safety Witch" is Kathi Bresnehan. If you have questions about anything concerning criminals, the police, or their relationship to our community, call her at 251-7399. People in our neighborhood have done a lot to keep it safe here, and we all value your help. We'll be glad to help you too.
We honor and respect diversity in this neighborhood. This is not a place where you have to feel like an outsider because of minority status. Tolerance and respect for others extend to many aspects of life in our community. Observance of the rights of others is key to the application of that philosophy. Tolerance, however, is not license. Just as others have an obligation to respect your rights, so the reciprocal obligation is incumbent on you.
Don't be shy about getting involved in the neighborhood community activities. Volunteers are responsible for the decorative gardens you see around on public places, the pancake suppers, pot lucks, and other functions as well. Whether you're here for a year or forever, you are welcome in our neighborhood association.
The Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association is working on a number of issues. One of the major ones [outlined in more detail in Bob Kinderman's article] is rethinking the zoning laws. We have also been working with (or against) the city to make Johnson and Gorham Streets safer for children and bicyclists. We're working on the Yahara Parkway, and planning for the future. We're working with the police to shut down a few crack houses, and with Transitional Housing Inc. and ARC to assist the less fortunate as they join our community. We have had many successes, and we hope you'll join us in future ones.
Welcome home.