Lyre exclusive; Motor Ave. Madmen
The Colonial Plaza district, and more specifically, Motor Ave., has been besieged by ‘car clubs’.
Rick Wright recently became the pastor of Lakewood United Pentecostal Church on Motor Ave.
“I've seen a troubling trend that's increasing weekly with vandalism, graffiti, spraypainting, trash, including drug paraphernalia...”
He has had to reschedule various types of meetings to avoid the actions of the number of people who are disrupting the area with loud inappropriate music, “doing donuts”, and defacing church property.
“And this is increasing weekly,” the pastor laments.
They've even been spotted on the roof with equipment to steal copper from their AC unit.
He has had parishioners that cannot leave their car, in one example, for a person openly urinating.
Sharyce Martin, neighborhood resident, supported Pastor Wright’s observations and added, “they park for hours in the parking spots designated for businesses and up on the sidewalk. I've witnessed myself; late night parties, trash left behind... coordinated gatherings that are promoted on social media, they have a designated page.
“On top of the Colonial Building with loud fireworks... screeching loud noise and revving engines at all hours of the night.
“They stood in front of my husband's car, would not move.
“They intimidate you. They will not let you go. I've heard it from other business owners and I've heard from residents also.”
Sharon Parchia, neighborhood resident.
“What I have witnessed has mainly occurred, I would say, since 2020. We have elderly residents, some of them 80 or 90. They have tried to go down the street and they have been prohibited (by the assailants).”
Mayor Jason Whelan had been notified by one of the neighbors.
“I went down there, it was packed. I think there were probably 50, 60 cars and it felt like a hundred people, and it was dangerous to drive through because people were racing by you on motorcycles. It was... it was crazy. I'm sure they're having a good time.
We may need to work with the Gramor owners to see if they don't have a trespass order in place with PD. We may need to put up signage, we may need to have a ‘no loitering’ ordinance. You want to let youth have a good time, in a sense, but it's got to be safe and it's got to be permitted.”
Parchia encapsulated the issue.
“It totally changes the atmosphere of a place that we call home.”
(LakewoodLyre has an inquiry to Lakewood Police Department. The story will be updated when the Department replies.)
(Gramorgroup update)