Newsletter Comments
I appreciate getting the newsletter, but it saddens me to read how negative some of the letters and editorials are. We moved here 4 years ago from a better ''kept'' neighborhood with nice yards and not an RV in sight, but while I like a well-kept lawn as much as anyone, I would trade that any day for the great people in this neighborhood.
We have had neighbors surprise us with dinner, pass on clothes and bikes and books to our kids, invite us for block parties and camping trips, and wrestle our kids into their car to get them to school. What a relief to go out for the evening and be able to leave the names of five different families on the block that we know will help our kids if there's trouble while we're gone! I can't say enough about how much our lives have been improved by the people around us. So what if they have weeds or park a trailer by their house? The quality of the people is much more important to me than the quality of their landscaping.
Regarding the open space issue--hearing the coyotes down there howling in the night is one of my favorite things about the neighborhood. I love having that space for animals to roam and kids to play. I haven't seen the kind of ''trouble'' it's rumored to bring--and I dare say that kids could probably cause just as much trouble in well-kept park at night.
The diversity of the neighborhood was one of things that attracted us to the area. We liked the fact that there are apartments and townhomes here, along with many different styles of single-family homes. I like that not everyone's house is beige or grey and that we avoid the type of monotony seen in many other neighborhoods. We would not have moved here if there had been a restrictive covenant in place.
If I were to make any changes, it would be to focus on things that help build the community--neighborhood barbecues, a walking club, things that help people get connected. But overall, I appreciate Columbine West and the work people have done in making it as nice as it is. It's hard to see so much negativity printed about a neighborhood I truly enjoy.