BOWERS - Olympia Fields: All that, and free college tuition too?

The Star ^ | 9/10/6 | Michael Bowers

[SmithL]

A group of 10 Olympia Fields residents is taking offense at a recent story in the Tribune suggesting there are a lot of run-down houses in their village. They say the problem is ridiculously exaggerated and they live in one of the best spots in the country.

The residents are:

Matthew Sosnowski, a construction manager, who has lived in the village for five years.

David Mekarski, the village administrator, who has lived in the village for three years.

Geraldine Tyler, who works in corrections and has lived in the village for seven years. She has six children.

Ilene Waite, a Web site builder, who has lived in the village for 21 years.

Celeritas (Larry) Green, a public safety coordinator for Metra, who has lived in the village for 17 years.

Pat Collier, the owner of two car wash and detail shops, who has lived in the village for 11 years.

Kay Mangan, a homemaker and volunteer, who has lived in the village for 37 years. She has eight children.

Susan Gatlin-Moroney, who worked in human services before retiring and has lived in the village four years.

Craig Martin, a project manager for Resurrection Health Care Hospitals, who has lived in the village for six years.

And Bob Waite, a businessman with several interests, who has lived in the village for 21 years.

The Tribune story that the residents are concerned about appeared on Aug. 25 and gave voice to an activist, Eugene Broyls, who has lived in the village since 1993. He has formed a group called SHARP — See, Hear and Report to the Police — and he likes to patrol the streets, photographing houses that he says violate the local maintenance code. Broyls told the Tribune:

Why should...

[Lurker]

What's the big deal?

My Neighborhood Watch does stuff like this all the time, especially to our neighborhood's 'problem' homes.

See a zoning violation? Call the Village Hall.

Problem solved.

L

[dynachrome]

"And the neighbors are proud of the low cost of housing. One of the group told me that a two-story brick house with four bedrooms would cost $500,000 to $550,000."

Say what???!!

[Richard Axtell]

I went to High School in Olympia Fields. It was the highest priced neighborhood in that part of the South Suburbs of Chicago. The Western Open Golf Tournament was held at the country club there for years, I knew kids who caddied at it. The last thing I can imagine is that anyone would call that place a slum. I haven't been there since 1991, and I graduated from High School there 34 years ago... my how things change.

[Clemenza]

The "South Suburbs" have become an extension of the South Side. I was in Olympia Fields about five years ago, however, and it seemed like a nice place. Mixed racially, but filled with classy people of all stripes.

In other words, it wasn't exactly Harvey or Chicago Heights.

[Richard Axtell]

You clearly know that area, as I remember it too. I was born in Chicago Heights, my father was born in Harvey. The Heights was mostly Italian and Polish when I was a kid. Then we moved to the whitebread suburb, Park Forest, which was mostly Wasps and Jewish people. I was best friends with a Jewish kid who's father was mayor of Park Forest. They have all long since moved far away. I live in Arizona now, and most everyone else I knew either moved out of state, or to the Arlington Heights, NW Side area. Park Forest still has much of the cultural things going on as it did 30 years ago. But everywhere has changed, a lot more homes in Matteson and further west from what I hear.