Village losing sight of its origins

To Warrenville's city council: What brought you to Warrenville? Was it the three-story walk-ups (called "tenements" by city dwellers)? Was it the skyline blocked by multi-storied apartment buildings that barely have 25 percent occupancy rates (until they went Section 8)? Was it the closeness to the "Heroin Highway" (I-88)? Or perhaps it was the crowds of people and cars on acres of parking lots surrounding these buildings?

Isn't it wonderful to see your children playing among the cars pulling in and out of those spaces? At least you don't have to put up with grass stains on their clothing, right? Visitors will be able to stay in one of the many barely occupied hotels because yet another one is planned to be built. I didn't know there was such a demand for apartments and hotels in town, did you?

I moved here from the city in the early 1950s to escape ALL those things. My parents wanted to live in a house where you didn't see or hear the daily activities of neighbors while inside your home as you did in the dense housing of the city neighborhoods. Where their children played in their yards, in sight of their homes and parents, not supervised in parks or playgrounds across town, or in clubhouses. Where children ran around safely on lawns, not in parking lots.

Isn't that really why you moved here, too? Higher-density developments will destroy that attraction and will demand more costly services from the city of Warrenville. Single family homes, with yards and lawns between them are a much better environment to raise a family, right? So why not provide more of them?

Tell the planning board, zoning commission and city development manager what you want. Stick to your guns. Save Warrenville from becoming the slum of the suburbs.

Bill Voda

Warrenville