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Show -Fepruary 2005 The West View This opinion section is an open forum for community 7 , it seems _ _ Fix That Bumpy Thoroughfare! that everybody is bridging differences — the crowds who show up - at Mayor I am a longtime resident of Rose Park, thirty years to be exact. In the summer of 2003, the city dug up 900 West street from North Temple to 1000 North to lay down some pipe. Upon completion, they made a botched up a job of covering up the trenches, causing a very bumpy Rose Park community council meeting at the library on 1000 North, where several homeowners complained about the bumpy road to our City Council representative Carlton road. CesS. at the University of Utah, the 22 youth recipients of the Martin Jr. today. Four years at South High Award who have : helped bridge differences between different cultural groups in Side will always feel like home to King, the state, and democrats and republicans in the Utah State Legislature...um, well, OK, maybe not everybody. But, it does seem like people are catching on to this idea of attempting to understand and respect people who are different from them. It’s contagious, in a good way. I hope it develops into a fullblown epidemic. We are very fortunate on the West Side of Salt Lake City to have convenient opportunities on a daily basis to step out of our comfort zone to meet people of very diverse backgrounds. Most of us need only walk next door to introduce ourselves. Why more of us don’t do that is a mystery to me. At the opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Abravanel Hall, Robert Redford spoke with excitement about a new World Film category in the festival. “Just imagine: films different languages (1985-1988) means that the West me, even though I grew up Sugarhouse and now live Liberty Park. What was South Mornings, senior year, dropped me off early. A Mr. that the West Side already touts an international community ties. of many nationali. Although a bit misinformed, Redford was right on track. Multi-culturalism is a blessing, and a challenge, to any community. I agree with Salt Lake City Communications Director Deeda Seed’s statement in a telephone inter- | view. “I believe that everybody has a fascinating story to tell about their own lives,” she said. These are the stories that we want to publish in The West View — stories about everyday people in our community. like? my dad “cholo” stood at the front door in his hair- _ know, because we never spoke; he was a cholo, I was a new waver. But he’d nod slightly and we’d smile, telling each other, we belong. My Hillside Middle School friends told me that everyone carried a knife at South. But of the three assaults in four years (two . stabbings, one shooting), two of three assailants came from other schools to start fights. The third was an Asian student who stabbed a white student in self-defense. Dozens of races and cultures were represented at South High during the last four years before the school was closed in 1988. During those years, only 40 percent of students were white. Others were first what southbound State Fair think of our “fair” town with a bumpy road running right through the middle of it. 900. West is a gateway into our community, and as taxpayers, we deserve better. We are proud of our town, and want a thorough- fare that reflects that pride. - Don Draper travelers or second-generation Chilean, Peruvian, Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, El Mexican, Argentinean, Brazilian, Salvadorian, Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Filipino,Japanese, Chinese, Samoan, Hawaiian, Tongan, South African, Ethiopian, African- High was closed in 1988, even though its structure was in better physical condition than any of the other high schools in Salt Lake City. | Many of us - including my slacker friends and I - attended the school board meetings. We dis- cussed them in our civics classes. It drew us closer as a school; it also made us question whether we were European students. _ 7 chosen for closure because of our The spring Cultural Assembly unusual “diversity.” Many of us, was the year’s highlight. Different cultural groups would perform a myself included, still believe this to skit, dance, or song. The Ute’s’ 7 be true. South High students were not Eagle dance, Polynesian Slap perfect. Like all high schools, we dance, and the gospel singing were grouped ourselves into tribes, some always favorites. based on race and culture. Lunches I dislike the word “diversity” meant stepping over noisy Asian because people of my race use it to kids picnicking on the third floor, imply that people in this world, Pacific Islander and black kids who don’t look like us, are somebreak dancing by the cafeteria, how a “bonus,” rather than noticing that the world, actually, happens to ~“cholos” and “cholas’” at the _ American, Navajo, Ute, Goshute, including a large number of Easte stood in the hall and welcomed students told us South High was special and believed him. We took pride in differences and looked down east side schools that were all back after lunch, we our on the same. | How did South High change me? During my six years of employment in the City Library's Human Resources Dept., it made me want to hire people who reflected the city’s population, and so I used fluency in a second language to screen the 200 applications for each position. I left Human Resources to work at Chapman Library because it was on the West Side. I loved working at Chapman. This time I got to stand at the door and welcome the teenagers who looked like my South High friends, even though they attended West, East, Judge, be filled with many kinds of peo- “square,” and “rockers” at the “cir- and Horizonte. I’m glad that as a ple. In fact, the anomaly les in places that are comprised of people who are almost all of the same race. One lesson from South that I will never forget was when my cle” by the swimming pool. I don’t know where everyone else was - I was at Omega Burger with the result of South High’s closure, Salt ““wavers,” being cynical and writ- other students can benefit from this — and pointed at Cindy Marty and ing bad poems. But, what set South apart from other high schools was that most people had friends among the other me. ‘That,’ he said, “is the Hitler tribes, and it was OK. You didn’t ideal - blond hair, blue eyes.” I squirmed. Another lesson about racism and prejudice came when South get shunned or beat up for being friends with someone outside your group. : Principal Lavar Sorenson, who beloved history teacher, George Henry, wrote “Aryan” on the board Lake City’s high schools are now better racially integrated so that as I did. : I am very grateful to South — High. No matter where I go, Salt Lake City’s West Side will always be home. aS - Melissa Sillitoe, adopted West Side resident Leatherby’s is Comin’ to Town in 22 (with Redford in lower in West net, flannel shirt, and gaucho pants. I felt safe when I saw him. I imagined he was guarding the school, since he stood like a soldier. I don’t subtitles) and people from all over the world here in Utah.” I felt like raising my hand and informing Just imagine coming off of I-15 onto 900 West to attend the How South High Influenced My Life Somehow during my adolescence—while I drove my parents crazy and obsessed about being liked—I developed values about community life that I still have east siders and west siders who are coming together to host small group discussions Christensen. He indicated that the City had plans to come back and correct the problem. 2004 has come and gone and, as yet, no suc- _ The following winter of 2004, we had a Anderson’s “Bridging the Religious Divide” forums, Luther and opinion articles are strictly the opinion of the author. Letters of an indecent or demeaning nature will not be published. Letters will be edited for style and space. From the Editor Lately, issues. Editorial columns Page 3 dishes—lots of them— to wash: The business deal included all the contents of the building and the associated clean up. It seems to be allina day’s work for the By Dale J. Neilson West Side ice cream lovers, your time has nearly arrived. Leatherby’s Family Creamery, 735 W. North native Temple, should open as early as the third week of February, according to Leroy Nguyen, one of the new owners. The store, located in the former Frontier Pies location, cost Nguyen and two of his siblings nearly $300,000. to buy and renovate. The unfinished store’s appearance already seems to reflect what ice cream means: sunny, bright days filled with generous helpings _- Charlotte Fife- of a delicious sweet treat Jepperson to eat. What looks like a strip of wallpaper next to the ceiling throughout An employee paints the outside of the old Frontier Pies building on 735 W. North Temple, in preparation for the grand opening of a new Leatherby's ice cream parlor to open late February. Photo by Chad Jepperson A huge banana split is the dining area is actualpainted on one wall, and ly a border of ice cream the —_ green-and-white cones painted by Nguyen to add a bit of- checkerboard floor and flavor, pardon the pun. attractive lighting com- of Saigon, South Vietnam. The country and city were renamed in the 1970s by the communist regime, which “doesn’t let you do anything,” he said. Nguyen’s _ parents and eight siblings immigrated to America in the mid-1960s and six years later settled in Taylorsville. Even though his ancestry is Vietnamese, Nguyen’s upbringing is “a little bit plement the fun-loving atmosphere of a burger joint/ice cream parlor. Along with all the Americanized. I love ice cream,” he said: The businessman 1s food and fun, there are see Ice Cream page 4 |