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Letter: Where the sun don’t shine

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Staff

Three years ago, Greenbridge was just a twinkle in Tim Toben’s eye. At the time, some people commented to me that the neighborhood didn’t realize what a shadow it was going to cast. By 2009, towering cranes, reminiscent of a Star Wars episode, decorated the Chapel Hill skyline. Years of controversy, tweaking of plans, community meetings and massaging of egos has led up to the final product. Now in 2011, despite a slow economy, more than half of the 96 condos have sold, including the dozen or so affordable units.

Regardless of whether you are a fan or foe, there it stands. And on Jan. 12, the day after our recent ice storm, I had the occasion to witness one consequence of building 10 stories of green construction. On the sidewalk, a man I know only as Fabio was struggling to push his wheelchair along the ice-covered sidewalk. Fabio is a double-amputee frequently seen sitting in his chair along Rosemary Street. Sometimes, with the use of his prosthetic legs, he walks behind his wheelchair, pushing it like a grocery cart.

I pulled over to help and, once I had a grip on the chair, began slip-sliding myself. Another person jumped in, and together we three managed to get moving and stay upright.

As we made steady progress, I innocently posed the question as to why this patch of ice seemed to have remained solid when most sidewalks appeared clear. Fabio turned his head and pointed to the building on our left and said one word, “shade.”

I applaud the mainstay of the building – that is, progress made toward green construction – along with efforts to conserve our natural resources. But when the next storm delivers snow and ice our way, the maintenance crew of Greenbridge should consider clearing the nearby sidewalks for neighbors who live there, where the sun don’t shine.

S.A.M. Brooks

1 thought on “Letter: Where the sun don’t shine”

  1. John Avery says:
    February 11, 2011 at 8:02 pm

    “As we made steady progress, I innocently posed the question as to why this patch of ice seemed to have remained solid when most sidewalks appeared clear.”

    Come on S.A.M., you expect us all to believe that? An “innocent” question while pointing out that you’re helping a homelss man? And there are plenty of buildings in Chapel Hill that block the sun from the sidewalk.

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