By Marie Brown
As residents of the City of Monroe, do you feel that our city is a good place to live? I’m sure there are a multitude of responses from some who have lived here their entire lives. The other question is, what do others outside of Monroe think of our city? When you ask this question to Google, it says Monroe is generally considered an affordable, family-friendly city with a strong sense of community and Southern charm. It goes on to say that Monroe has limited entertainment options and high crime rates in specific areas as drawbacks.
Residents in Monroe speak of the community as Northside and Southside. The previous statement concerning crime says that it is in specific areas meaning the Southside. The Northside is painted as a safe community with great housing and economic opportunities. The bottom line is a major revitalization is needed in the community in which the majority of the residents in Monroe lives. There has not been nearly enough emphasis placed on the Southside. Where is the leadership?
So, whose fault is it that the Southside of Monroe is in the shape it is in with limited amount of projects coming? Hats off to Rep. Pat Moore who has recently announced that the $10 million Bryant’s Edition Revitalization is about to happen. This initiative was supported by state funding. When other projects come to our Southside community, crime will decrease considerably and we can proudly say, “We Love where we Live and Live where we Love!”
