Last Sunday. The parking situation before the 11 O'clock mass was really chaotic, to say the least. The tall cop on duty at our church was way damn rude.
He had his car parked blocking the east side parking lot. At the same time he was directing traffic elsewhere. People who wanted to get out couldn't get out and those who wanted to get in and park, couldn't.
Who does he think he is? Bishop Angadiyath? Pope Benedict? Or the king of Hellwood?
What kind of joke is this?
The cop was so rude, that in rudeness he would beat our vicar handsomely.
One Powathil guy almost had a fight with the tall cop. Another idiot tried to drive around the cop car over the flower bed to get to a parking space.
Situation being this, it is heartening to hear statements from the authorities concerning steps being taken to ease this problem. The vicar said it a couple of weeks ago: Steps are being taken to convert some of the surrounding church properties to parking lots.
But this is easier said than done.
This is what experts tells us: yes, the church owns a couple of houses near the church. Actually there already is an open and empty plot behind the church now. But these all are zoned "residential". Which means these are revenue generating properties. Re-zoning any property is a hard and complicated process. Especially re-zoning one that generates revenues to non-revenue generating. Even if the village is amenable to the proposal an open and full Public Hearing has to be held. Any surrounding resident and/or property owner can object to having a parking lot next to their property.
And our gut feeling is, that is exactly what is going to happen.
Our church authorities can brag all they want about the architectural marvel they created in Bellwood. But we know what it really is: an ugly monstrosity in Hellwood. Face it. Our neighbors does not really care for us. The proof is in the dozens of complaints the village gets every Sunday and the parking tickets we get in turn.
Think about all the useless properties our religious authorities acquired. Bishop's number one folly was the purchase of the skeletal building at 5544 St. Charles Road. It is good for nothing, and the diocese is paying real estate tax through the nose on it. Some time ago parish authorities were in a buying frenzy acquiring any and all surrounding houses. And we bought a few. Then what happened? They all sit there empty. Like haunted houses.
(Talking about haunted houses a superb idea popped into our head. May be the vicar's beloved youth can raise a few bucks this Halloween conducting a tour of these haunted houses. Don't be mad, youth, just a well-meaning suggestion. Beats car wash.)
Yet they failed to buy the one most important property they should have. The bicycle junkyard in front of the church. The bicycle junkyard still sits there as a symbol of the simple ineptitude of our leaders. It laughs at us every Sunday baring its ugly teeth.
But hoping against hope we wish the authorities succeed in solving this grave problem. It cannot continue indefinitely without causing serious rupture in our community.
- By the way, this reporter had the good luck to participate in the evening mass last Sunday. Thank God, there was no sound system. That is, I was told, because the previous Sunday, Fr. Antony was the celebrant, and no sound guy on duty, and the sound system wouldn't stop howling like crazy. Fr. Antony was so damn helpless. He learned his lesson so good, he didn't want to take a chance this Sunday! I have to admit, with out the annoying sound system, the Mass was pretty peaceful! The vicar should try it on a regular Sunday Mass.
11 comments:
The authorities have to solve the parking problem. Otherwise one day we are going have a big fight in the parking lot. I hate police in church property.
You know why the cops was in the church last sunday???????/ People started parking in the fire lane around the church. The police was just executing his legal responsiblity to safeguard the property and life of the citizens...First learn to follow the rules...The cops blocked the entrance because there was not even a single parking spot available.. If any body wants to get out, the police will move his car..Or you call 911 and report ...Your article was absolutely unneccessary and was hiding the truth...You have to advice your readers to get self disciplined....Just follow the rules...ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING ALLOWED IN FIRE LANES. Please note that this rule is not imposed by the cathedral but it is imposed by a village ordinance....If you dont have nothing to right just shut your @$%% mouth
To the Thampuran,
The cop was in the church compound not only last Sunday, but every Sunday. He is being paid by the church to control traffic. Police do not routinely go around private parking lots checking on violators. Even if such was the case the police has the duty only to issue tickets. You are being an apologist for the authorities by turning a blind eye towards reality. The reality is there aren't enough parking spaces in our church. Whose fault is that? The planners and executors of this new church project. They have to answer to the people. They mislead the people. Possibly they mislead the village about how many people are going to be present at the church at a given time. It is the result of these that we witness every Sunday.
This is a legitimate issue.
eda thampurane,
So , are u saying that our church has enough parking space and even though we have enough parking space the ignorant low class immigrants are parking their cars in the fire lane?Shut up your f....mouth. These malayalee people are not stupid u a hole. They doing it because they are frustrated, mad, helpless ........
It is going to get worse, if the authorities dont find a solution for all the disasters they created.Have you ever seen in any american church, police controlling traffic? YOU IDIOT?If these poor malayalee people start calling 911, the police never ever get out of this church. They are not calling 911 because these people are not a holes like you, shit head.By the way when the police blocked that one parking lot , there were two empty parking space in that lot. This is really sad, that our parishners has to go through this kind of hell. God is not going to forgive this authorities for this. You watch! They are going to face disaster one after the other. Because they doing this circus in the name of GOD. So he is not going to like it. We can just sit and watch.
one silent parishner.(thampuran made me talk)
Thampuran didnt say that we had enough parking...the point was when there was an emergency couple of months before the ambulance was not able to enter the premises..that's why the cops are going after people who park in the fire lane...Thanks for the annonymous comment even though it was written by the syromalabar voice unmarried guy
The ambulance could not get there because there was not enough parking, you dimwit.
IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PARKING, IT DOEST MEAN YOU CAN PARK ANYWHERE.....AGAIN THANKS FOR THE ANONYMOUS COMMENT BY THE AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE...GREAT JOB
The author of the article does not comment anonymously. You have to swallow the truth that there are people who do not agree with you.
I am supporting Thampuran. What he is telling is correct. Our people not showing any common sense while parking their (expensive) cars. I have seen people steping on the plants !! There should be a cop all the time, otherwise the parking lot and the church become a 'Chantha'
we ever police watching our church when we had old church? anybody ever parked their car in fire lane when we had old church? How many priests fainted and had heart attacks in our old church? Its full of polution with the new church. Thats why everythig upside down. Pls understand and the whoever responsible has to correct it. Otherwise this church is not going to survive.
another well wisher
They should file a lawsuit against village of bellwood...really what they are doing is racial profiling!
If a church member parks in a neighborhood street, why should they be ticketed/towed? The signs do not say Permit Parking Only. Imagine if a white suburb did that to a minority church...the news media would be all over it!
Obviously the parking situation should have been taken care of before building the church...but the leaders should at least take steps to improve the situation.
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