Comments on: Redevelopment Plan Finalized For ‘Blighted’ Areas Of Cantonment

By: Shift Worker

Shift Worker — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 11:37:09 +0000

That funeral chapel with the adjoining crematorium there at the corner of Neal Road and highway 29 should be able to afford to clean up a little. I have not noticed any funeral processions on my way to and from the mill, but I see black smoke coming from the crematorium all the time so I figure they are pretty busy.

By: Karl

Karl — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 22:15:40 +0000

I have lived in the East Hill city limits for close to 25yrs. To this day, I avoid driving through Cantonment if at all possible. It’s blighted, with little or no zoning regulations of any kind. Line up the bulldozers, level it off and start over with city annexation. If you can’t afford to live in the City limits, please move back to AL, MS or LA.

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 01:11:01 +0000

I attended the last two meetings (didn’t hear about them until the afternoon of the second one!)
People that live in that area already *are* doing something for themselves. That is why I attended. I actually live a little outside of the CRA but I was very interested to hear that their was a group, the Cantonment Improvement Board, that has already been at work doing things to improve the area! They are working on a clean up project this Saturday.
The next meeting for this CIC was announced for Tuesday, Nov. 5th at 6 pm at Pearl Valley Baptist Church at 6 pm.

Some of the leaders have been working with the county and our commissioner to identify some problems but they said that they aren’t waiting for the government to help them. (The funds from the increased tax revenue from higher property values may take years to show up!)

I applaud people that live in the area are working do improve it on their own. I am interested in helping because as that area improves, so does the rest of Cantonment. I don’t know the members personally yet or haven’t attended their meetings (hope to) but let’s give credit where credit is due. I’d be interested to hear more about the CIC and how it got started. Josh Womack was listed as the contact person for the group.

By: Sideline Observer

Sideline Observer — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 16:54:39 +0000

If I were in charge of code enforcement, I would be seeking funding authorization for some forty foot dump trailers and large front end loaders.

That is probably not too bad a job and one worth hanging on to.

Who is the Director of Code Enforcement for Escambia County and is that position appointed by the county commission?

By: eyeswideopen

eyeswideopen — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 20:51:07 +0000

Ha, good luck trying to change anything in this area, try changing the minds of the people of the community first . maybe if some would get off there a** and help themselves then things would change . and yes I do live in the area , and own a home free and clear ,that was built in the 80,s and I hold down a full time job so it,s what you make of it , to many people wanting free help and a free hand out in this area everyone thinks it ,s owed to them , like the person that could of had a job at burger king but did not take it because they thought it was not good enough , a job is a job especially if you’re holding your hand out wanting something for nothing , I do not care if it,s scrubbing out toilets , I would make that toilet shine,blame it on the hurricanes , blame it on your surroundings blame it on your upbringing, blame it on the people that move here from everywhere else including New Orleans , blame it on oil spills , blame it on gas prices/ food prices blame it on the economy ,blame it on are government , blame it on Barack Obama ,,, or take the blame on yourself and do something about it . out of the about 30 homes on our block I bet at least 15 of them families no one works they sit on their front porch talking on their cell phones smoking cigs and drinking beer ,they are the ones that even tho they are home all day there yards are a mess with garbage/junk and toys not cleaned up and the inside of the homes are the same way some I know are on government assistance some are on disability and the rest who knows how they survive .it,s a mess in the Cantonment area and if I had known that 8 years ago I would have never moved here , so it would be great if someone did something for the area. please don,t get mad at me I’m just telling the truth .I see it and hear it everyday .

By: dreamboat Annie

dreamboat Annie — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:45:23 +0000

AMEN KB.
VERY well said! YOU need to be on that committee.

By: Atmore Born

Atmore Born — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:23:48 +0000

I could have sworn that we passed the movie set from the 1991 motion picture, Nothing But Trouble as we were coming into Cantonment on our way to the fair last week.

Why do people let their property get into such an awful condition? It does give me a good appreciation for the order that we enjoy in Atmore.

By: Hwy 29 Traveller

Hwy 29 Traveller — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:02:53 +0000

Something really needs to be done with all the derelict structures around Cantonment. I know that the impression I get when I approach from the north is one of a post apocalyptic landscape. Zoning certainly would not hurt anything.

That place never did fully recovered from Hurricane Ivan.

By: KB

KB — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:18:42 +0000

I live in that area and my income is below the median listed above. My family size is 3X the national average. I’m not on any kind public assistance and don’t want to be. My house isn’t falling apart. We live well on our income. We work hard, stay home, and stay out of trouble. Three of my kids have jobs. None of us do drugs. None of us have ever been arrested. Both are very expensive. Don’t bring us more welfare and food stamps, bring us more and better jobs. Tell us who live next to Champion how to get hired. Our parents worked there, but now you’d think it was a company from a foreign country. Give us more police and pay them better. And when a person is caught committing a crime take away their public assistance ( unless they are in jail, keep them there and feed them)

By: Southerner

Southerner — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:12:34 +0000

All the problems of this area are not going to be solved by redistributing more of the wealth of others to the area. This county might be much improved through two incentives for business, namely more freedom and lower taxes.