Reader responds to recent letter about city’s West End

To the editor:
In regard to the Sept. 12 letter, “Reader says cleaning up West End is akin to putting ‘lipstick on a pig,’” back in the 1980s and 1990s, Park Street in Bristol was okay, nice and clean, with nice people. Rockwell Park was the go-to place to sit and read, play with your kids or your dog. People picked up after themselves. Poor or rich.
People and landlords who rented to people also cared so did the people living there—section 8 housing or renters.
But landlords don’t care about it. It’s just “gotta get the ‘money.’” I don’t care if its falling apart, he/ she does a quick fix, throws on paint , and lets it go.
Also landlords get more money from Section 8 or the state because no one cares. And parents of kids or teens don’t care or they’re not home to watch what goes on and no one wants to say anything because “he said, she said” starts and then the fighting and yelling starts and there’s more trouble.
But it takes one person to start to care. Who is it going to be?
Maybe the pig with the lipstick.
If all landlords, the people and the city get together and help each other out and fix the West End or Park Street.
I used to walk around there all the time. Now, it’s too scary down there. Or I’m just old.
I hope something happens soon.
Rita Lafoe
Bristol