This blog is intended to be an international conversation about our neighborhoods. What makes a neighborhood? How are we defined by the places where we once lived, where we live now? What would others see if they had a glimpse of our neighborhoods? At the State University of New York at Fredonia, we started to ask ourselves these questions, and we wanted to post our descriptions and invite others to do the same. We are hoping for an album of neighborhood images and descriptions--and plenty of opportunities for questions, dialogues, and musing.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Memorable Experiences of Leon Place

Each and every family residing on Leon Place interacts with their neighbors, which is what really makes this neighborhood a neighborhood. Everyone on my street knows each other and treats each other with respect and is always very welcoming. Mr. Dempsey, a tall, elder man that lives in the last house on the street, makes his own Christmas cards and sends them to everyone on the street. The cards look very creative and festive, and are just enough to boost the holiday spirit. There has never been a time when someone would walk by and not give a pleasant hello, or even a friendly wave. This friendliness also provides a sense of security, which is what makes this neighborhood a great place to grow up. With this sense of security, parents feel as though it is safe to allow their children to play outside without having to worry about any harmful incidents. My childhood memories wouldn’t have been as unforgettable if it wasn’t for the time I spent playing in the yards with the other children who lived on my street. By the time summer rolled around, kids could be seen playing outside at all hours of the day. A quiet neighborhood was rare to come by on a summer night if you were passing by my street. We played the same games almost every night, yet they never got old. In fact, the classic games, such as ghost in the grave yard and kick the can, were the favorites. The friendships that were created during our childhoods still exist today. One day my brother and I received the news that our close friend who lived just a few houses down from us would be moving to Connecticut because his dad got a new job. It was one of the most disheartening things I had heard since living in this neighborhood. But this just goes to show the relationships that are possible when a neighborhood takes you in.

1 comment:

  1. my street played the same games! it was so much fun, and really made us closer as a neighborhood. we would also have kickball games, and stay up late playing all these games. i will never forget it.

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