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* ** HOUSING NEIGHBORHOODS
<br />WEST SIDE
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<br />IV KATHY BORLIK
<br />ibtine Stuff -Writer
<br />SOUTH BEND — Some people
<br />ome to the west side only -once a
<br />ear, for Dyngus Day. Maybe twice
<br />if there yye�a Polish wedding in
<br />:ie family. P1
<br />Rev. Leonardbot and mem-
<br />ers of St. Adalbert Catholic
<br />;hunch want the area of town to be
<br />nown for more than that.
<br />Chrobot was the host for a late
<br />4onday morning Dyngus Day
<br />crunch with local politicians to talk
<br />:bout the problems and what the
<br />ieighborhood needs. *Xk jj
<br />Lt. Gov. Frank O'Bannon, South
<br />lend Mayor Joseph E. Kernan,
<br />:ouncil members and stray politi-
<br />.ians gathered around the table
<br />vith platefuls of sausage and hard -
<br />wiled eggs to hear what is pen -
<br />ng west of Chapin Street. 't; .- j
<br />Chrobot apologetically said they
<br />ilso had American potato salad.
<br />After the traditional Holy Satur-
<br />lay blessing of the food, Chrobot
<br />;aid, the west side "needs all the
<br />)lessings it can get.
<br />"I just want the politicans to be
<br />aware of the west side" — of the
<br />)roblems, the eyesores and the
<br />strengths, Chrobot said.
<br />For example, one positive thing
<br />iappening is the neighborhood
<br />)artnership center on April 29. The
<br />;enter is in the former Huron
<br />?harmacy, 2202 W. Huron St.
<br />However, there are things to be
<br />!ared for, he said. "I am campaign -
<br />ng to get the Western Avenue
<br />Aaduct painted. It is the first thing
<br />tou see, and it is depressing."
<br />There are abandoned stores
<br />Tong Western Avenue and the only
<br />heater on the west side is Little
<br />Denmark, an adult theater. "There
<br />nust be 200 screens on the east
<br />side," he said.
<br />"A pothole on the east side gets
<br />ixed," while west side potholes
<br />inger, he claimed.
<br />He said that the shift in popula-
<br />tion away from the west side can-
<br />not be stopped, but Chrobot's hope
<br />s that there is no further de-
<br />.erioration.
<br />Chrobot added that the west side
<br />s .a successfully integrated. neigh -
<br />sorhood. "More integrated than
<br />Jranoer," he added. The church is j
<br />raking d statement by keeping the
<br />►drool open. St. Adalbert's cur-
<br />the top down it doesn't work The
<br />neighborhood center is a concrete
<br />example" of involvement of people.
<br />and .agencies at work. "
<br />Any positive signs from the
<br />meeting?
<br />Feeding them is a concrete way
<br />for them to remember you the next:
<br />,time, he said._ -
<br />B "mmTf GOODLAD HELINE _
<br />Tribune Staff Writer Rb r �f : io --R s
<br />SOUTH BEND - They were
<br />having a party Saturday, but there
<br />weren't any balloons or cakes.
<br />Instead, there . were paint buck-
<br />ets, brushes, drop cloths and lad-
<br />ders at Hansel Neighborhood Cen-
<br />ter, 1045 W. Washington St. And
<br />plenty of energy and enthusiasm.
<br />Members of the center's board of
<br />directors and of Kappa Alpha Psi,
<br />a service and social fraternity,
<br />worked Saturday and today to re-
<br />paint the inside of the 70 -year -old
<br />building. C – A
<br />The purpose of the "painting
<br />party," as director of development
<br />Christyne Woolridge named the
<br />event, was "to spruce up Hansel
<br />Center as it celebrates its 25th an-
<br />niversary year."
<br />"We want to re- introduce Hansel
<br />Center and its services to the com-
<br />munity," said Bill Powell, president
<br />of the board, as he prepared peach -
<br />colored paint for grimy second
<br />floor walls.
<br />When an institution has been
<br />around as long as Hansel Center,
<br />people begin to forget about it or
<br />take it for granted, he said.
<br />The board and staff want to
<br />make sure the community knows
<br />about Hansel Center and its work,
<br />he said, as plans are made to up-
<br />grade and add some services.
<br />An open house and other festiv-
<br />ities will be held Oct. 20 and 21 as
<br />part of the silver anniversary cele-
<br />bration, Woolridge said. Other
<br />events during the anniversary year
<br />will include a Hanging of the
<br />Greens in December and the an-
<br />nual dinner April 11.
<br />But the first job is to fix up the
<br />building. Painting the high -ceil-
<br />inged rooms in, the large red brick
<br />structure was `a big task, but many
<br />tithed out to help.
<br />Life's been good to -Dick Coffee;
<br />so he ` wanted to give .something'
<br />Hansel Center, the city's first
<br />neighborhood service; center, . is
<br />housed in the building that. was
<br />constructed in 1925 as the Chil-
<br />dren's Dispensary and Hospital..
<br />The dispensary worked with disad-
<br />vantaged children and mothers
<br />providing health services and child
<br />care education. C-° �L
<br />The building was named for .Dr.
<br />Charles E. Hansel, a South Bend
<br />physician and one of the founders
<br />of the Children's Dispensary in
<br />1909.
<br />Hansel Center was started as an
<br />experimental community program
<br />hf. 1968. Through an anonymous
<br />donation, it purchased the building
<br />after it became an independent
<br />program in 1970. That year, the
<br />building went through a - $90,000
<br />renovation that upgraded the gym,
<br />locker room, showers, offices and
<br />heating system.
<br />Since then, Hansel has de-
<br />v6loped many programs, Woolridge
<br />said. These include coordinating
<br />Head Start programs for two coun-
<br />ties; four day -care centers, with
<br />three at other sites; an active sen-
<br />ior, citizen program; the home-
<br />makers program; a food bank; a
<br />latch key program; and numerous
<br />sports and recreation activities.
<br />The building still serves the
<br />purpose for which it was built —
<br />providing service to the surround-
<br />ing community and its children,
<br />Woolridge said.
<br />Individuals and groups are in-
<br />vited to volunteer in assisting with
<br />the painting and other projects.
<br />Anyone wishing to volunteer should
<br />contact Woolridge at 234 -6041.
<br />to
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