By Vernon Langton

You are about to read a story of Highbridge as described by two residents, one of African American ancestry and the other Hispanic.

These two members of the community moved to Highbridge over 25 years ago for different reasons. The African American, whom we will call Eileen, came to this community because shopping and transport were easier, the trains and buses plus the shops were easily accessible.

Eileen remembers a baby store, a 5 and 10 cent store, a wholesale discount store and a hardware store. There was a post office and the neighborhood bar where the residents gathered to discuss topics of interest and to socialize. Eileen remembers that the Friendly Baptist church once housed a MET supermarket.

The Hispanic resident, whom we will call Carmelita, was attracted by a new apartment and reasonable rent.

They both remembered that the area was properly represented by people who actually lived in the community. Eileen remembers that drugs and gangs were not very visible on the streets and Carmelita remembers the empty lots and old buildings.

They both admit that Highbridge has been changing. There are two bus routes passing through the area and cabs can be flagged down when needed. There is a lovely garden at the corner of Ogden Avenue and 162nd Street, a number of new businesses have opened up along the main street and new buildings for housing are being erected regularly.

On the other hand, there is still room for improvement, especially for the youths and senior citizens. Eileen and Carmelita would like to see a proper recreation center in the immediate area where the youth can go to improve themselves and be off the street corners. They would like to see a post office, which has been promised for some time, become a reality and which would help the seniors and the disabled by preventing them having to travel all the way to Inwood, some times in very inclement weather. Carmelita thinks that a high school in the immediate area will encourage the steadily growing youthful population to aspire and seek further education.

There is a feeling that the community will grow and become stronger if communication should improve between those offering help and the people in a position to help. It is the feeling that we all have to play a part in keeping our community safe and clean by using the paper that will inform all of what is happening in the community - the Highbridge Horizon.

Leave messages for Vernon Langton at (718) 681-1549.