Sunnyside Up

Talk about a busy first month!!  In addition to doing the 101 things that are needed to get things up and running, a porch fell on Grant Avenue and the phone never stopped ringing.  I've really been encouraged by all of the support and encouragement from everyone.  We have some exciting things to report this month and I look forward to sharing them with you.

Jim Hunt, Executive Director 

In This Issue

Dodging Bullets

Board Meetings

Stories from Sunnyside

Student Gov Speaks

Featured Article

7 Students Dodge a Bullet 

An impromtu party came to a crashing end on August 18, 2007 as seven students rode the roof of 426 Grant Avenue to the ground.  Two students were transported to the hospital and treated for injuries.  The City of Morgantown condemned 4 houses as a result of "shifting" ground.

While the question of why 7 college students would risk life and limb by partying on a porch roof is one for another day, we have to wonder what type of danger lurks throughout Sunnyside, as a result of "shifting" ground or outright neglect. 

Curiously, the condemned houses were far from the worst on the street.  Other houses show evidence of heavy use of porch roofs for partying.  This is a sad game of Russian Roulette and one bullet has already been used up. 

Board Meetings 

The Sunnyside Up Board of Director's meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30AM at the offices at 709 Beechurst Avenue, Suite 30 in the Seneca Center.  You are welcome to attend and share your ideas.  When you visit, take a look at our new sign.  It makes it a little easier to find our offices!

"Stories from Sunnyside"

Note from Editor:  Thanks to Kate Van Sant for contributing to the "Stories from Sunnyside" feature of our newsletter.  Kate really hit what we are looking for.  Thanks Kate and lets hear from others with their story.

My Story from Sunnyside

by Kate Van Sant

In 1979-1980 I was the office manager for Sociology/Anthropology, which was then housed in Deahl Hall, a building that used to sit at the corner of University and Stewart Street.  There was an older professor in the department named Jiri Kolaja, from Czechoslovakia, and before leaving Europe he had been a film director, spoke a number of different languages and had led an interesting life, but kept mostly to himself in his office. 

One Friday afternoon at quitting time some of the graduate students and I went to Redbeard's, a bar across the street, to our usual table in the window facing University Avenue, but this time we persuaded Professor Kolaja to join us.  We asked him questions about film and art and European culture, and it was a delightful time.  He had a great time, and said the evening reminded him of the way students and professors would get together in the evenings in Europe.  We learned a lot from his fascinating memories. 

So most people might think that the Sunnyside bars used to be just a place to get drunk and into mischief, but on nights like that the neighborhood was an admirable extension of the University learning experience.

Kate Van Sant (then Kate Bingham)

Assistant to Joe Fisher

Facilities and Services

West Virginia University

SPREAD THE WORD

Don't forget to forward this newsletter to your friends and contacts.  We can only succeed when more people become aware and involved. 

Sincerely,

James Hunt
Sunnyside Up

WVU Student Government Speaks Out

Erica Rogers, SGA

Thousands of students have called the Sunnyside neighborhood home for a portion of their college career.  It comes, then, as no surprise that they are eager to be involved with Sunnyside Up.  The West Virginia University Student Government Association has recently signed on to the project by pledging to help with the creation of green spaces on Grant Avenue.  SGA feels that this is an important project because they can beautify an area where a lot of students live while encouraging student involvement in the project.

Erica Rogers, a member of SGA's elected Board of Governors, is especially excited about the partnership.  "I think a lot of students are still unfamiliar with Sunnyside Up, and probably have a lot of good ideas that go unheard.  With the recent happenings on Grant Avenue, I think our involvement will show the students how they can become involved with improving student housing while showing the community at large just how many students do want to help revitalize the neighborhood."  Rogers will be working with Sunnyside Up to plan events and student projects throughout the semester.

               Erica.Rogers@mail.wvu.edu 

Non-Motorized Transit Meeting

Sunnyside Up was very fortunate to host a meeting on non-motorized transit issues in Morgantown.  Ms. Carol Kachadoorian of Crossroads Concepts led the group in a discussion of stratagies to faciliate better use of non-motorized transit and how to integrate with existing transit systems.  Carol has a depth of experience, most recently at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (METRO).  She also worked as Senior Business Officer for Student Affairs at Georgetown University.  An avid bicyclist, Carol uses real world experience to achieve success in transportation.

We hope to work with Carol in the future to address ways to further non-motorized transit systems.

KUDOS TO THE MEDIA

We often hear of the Power of the Press and never has it been more effective than the past several weeks.  The Dominion Post and Daily Atheneum have done a great job of covering the events in Sunnyside.  WBOY-TV and WDTV have also done excellent work on the television side. 

Change will not happen in Sunnyside until people realize the danger and impact the deteriorated conditions are having on our community.

Keep up the good work.