By Steve Beachy, Former Parks & Recreation Director (1978-2007)

In 1978, the Lincoln Center and the surrounding neighborhood were in a severe state of neglect.

The old school buildings showed the years of little or no maintenance. Holleman Drive was a narrow roadway with broken pavement and no curbs or gutters. Eleanor Street and adjacent streets were unpaved and had a tendency to become impassable during heavy rains. Sidewalks, street lights, and paved parking were nonexistent.

The area also had numerous substandard homes, vacant houses and properties overgrown with weeds and brush. The poorly maintained softball field and two youth baseball fields fell far short of meeting the needs of our small but growing college-oriented community.

A lack of funding for potential improvements made the situation grim.

A steady renaissance Continue reading “Lincoln Center, neighborhood thrive after years of investment”