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Pigeon Hill Neighbors March Against Crime
AURORA -- Pigeon Hill residents reclaimed their neighborhood in a 2-1/2-mile peace march on Saturday.
Sixty-five people, many of whom saw their immigrant parents grow old in this near East Side neighborhood, said they are determined to not let the evil glare of crime chase them out or do any more harm than they already have.
» Click to enlarge image
Lenore Blatner, who has lived in the Pigeon Hill neighborhood in Aurora for 40 years, gets ready to participate in Saturday's peace walk with her neighbors.
(Tyler Stoffel/Special to the Beacon News)
"We're not leaving our neighborhood," Marge Schuler said.
The march stepped off from St. Joseph Catholic Church on North High Street, where many lifelong residents attended grade school, married and had their children baptized.
The residents recalled living through the Great Depression and getting oranges and dried fruit as children, and how their immigrant parents from Romania and Luxembourg struggled to raise their families.
"Our community has come a long way, and we are going to protect it," Rose Juneau said.
They were joined by three Aurora police officers, Mayor Tom Weisner and several other city, county and state officials, as well as clergy.
Pigeon Hill Neighbors, a Neighborhood Watch group started more than a decade ago, organized the unity walk after a 28-year old Chicago man was shot to death Oct. 1 in the 600 block of North Root Street. They have also heard the ring of gunfire in recent weeks.
Although silver-gray hair might pretend to give their age away, they are a united group regularly patrolling the neighborhood on foot to alert police of suspicious activity.
Newcomers to the neighborhood are sending the same message with as much conviction as the lifelong residents wanting to protect what they have cherished all of their lives -- a safe and welcoming community for families.
"The shootings and gang violence are intolerable. There are good people who live in this neighborhood, and we're not going to let crime become a daily routine," said Julie Saros, who moved from Naperville four years ago to raise two children.
Mayor Weisner said that while the city has seen a reduction overall in crime and gang activity, it's important that neighbors not get complacent because they are a primary component in assisting police in ridding crime from the city.
"I applaud the residents for staying vigilant -- it's a lesson for all of us. The neighbors are a big component in our success," the mayor said.
Weisner said many of the residents were in their 40s when they started the Pigeon Hill Neighbors, and there's a need for younger families to carry out the duties of this watch group.
"... It can be as simple as one house with the wrong people can make a huge difference in a neighborhood. That's why you can't ever be complacent. I am pleased that with the first sign of wrong activity they are out here marching," Weisner said.
Marge Berger said in recent months she's seen loud vehicles pass through one particular section of Pigeon Hill.
"The neighborhood was doing marvelous, and then all of a sudden. ... It's pretty bad when I can't allow my grandchildren to enjoy a night over."
"This is our neighborhood, and we don't want to be pushed out," another resident said.
Joining the march were Aurora Aldermen Abby Schuler, Stephanie Kifowit and Bob O'Connor; Kane County Board member Donnell Collins; state Rep. Linda Chapa La Via; state Sen. Linda Holmes.
Pigeon Hill Neighbors meets the fourth Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
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