What is the city doing about the growing homeless camp in the city park, Seminary Park? Is the intention to make this camp permanent? It seems to have been growing for about a year, with seemingly little effort to address it, the safety of passersby, or the sanitation issues that accompany it.
People spending the night in seminary park
Was harassed in Kroger parking lot by people from seminary park. Asked for money, when I said no they aggressively tried to follow me. I had to run to my car to leave. Very unsafe area for Bloomington residents.
I am deeply saddened that our City would remove the encampment in Seminary Square. Does every park have to be for the primary enjoyment of those who HAVE homes? Can't the homeless at least have primary use of THIS one? Are people so small-minded that they begrudge this just because they then aren't comfortable using it themselves? I walk by it all the time, and sure, it isn't as pretty as it could otherwise be, but how about considerations of justice? Let them enjoy the space! I know there may be more clean-up needed for city workers, but that is a cost we should be able to bear. Let's make it safer as needed by installing port-a-potties or whatever is needed. Bloomington supposedly cares so much about the housing problem that they are prepared to ruin historic neighborhoods (though I suspect this is mainly at the behest of developers), yet they won't allow homeless people to live in tents in Seminary Square??
Large broken limb hanging precariously in a tree in Seminary Park
Homeless are taking over the sidewalks by Seminary Square park, you can't walk at near the intersection of 2nd St and Walnut. Trash everywhere, needles spread out on 2nd St, baby playpen, clothes all over. It's an eyesore for the City, and you feel harassed everyday by people sitting on the bench and holding signs!
Every since the parks department allowed tents at seminary park throughout the day there are increasingly large numbers of people not social distancing without mask in a small confined space. They are then dispersing throughout the community (Kroger, shalom, rally’s, etc...), once again not wearing mask. This is not what the CDC means when they say not to tear down homeless communities. It’s to prevent them spreading disease. Our homeless community still socializes without regard to others in the community and therefore not breaking up that tent camp is irrelevant to what the CDC recommends. Also there are tons of laws being broke at seminary park every day. The park is filled with trash, used needles, and feces just to name a few problems. Litter is blowing everywhere in the surrounding area. The law and rules apply to everyone in the community. Please hold everybody accountable! Failure to do so will impact Bloomington’s economy and slow the recovery through this pandemic.
This is an all-way stop with marked stop signs and crosswalks. Unfortunately, many drivers (mostly on Winslow going East or West) do not stop at all. And there are quite a few that don't even slow down if they presume no vehicles are close enough to hit them for speeding through unabated. A few anemic attempts to place police near the intersection at haphazard intervals hasn't really had a beneficial impact. This intersection is very busy and is a frequent crossing for pedestrians and cyclists along with school children. I have seen other communities that have purchased solar powered flashing stop signs that significantly increase attention to the sign. Or, to monitor the scope of the issue, and maybe levy some tickets, can one of the mobile police observation hubs (I see them at the Seminary Square Kroger parking lot) be placed at the intersection. I don't ever feel safe coming any direction in or out of my own neighborhood. With all of the out of town students and faculty returning soon, the problem isn't going to get any better. This has been a pervasive issue for the roughly 8 years I've lived in this neighborhood.
A large, event-sized tent with fully closed sides is setup in Seminary Park.
The sidewalk in front of the Seminary Square Outlet Sign on 2nd street is cracked and a deep hole in middle of side walk. This hole is big enough a small child could fall down into.