Seeking respect

Fort Hill will never be Mystic or Noank or Groton Long Point, nor should it want to be.

Every neighborhood is unique with its own distinct look and personality, and Fort Hill is no exception. A working-class neighborhood behind the Groton Town Hall, it has taken its knocks over the years for its small and sometimes derelict housing, its crime and drug problems and its transient population.

Every few years this newspaper publishes stories about efforts to improve Fort Hill, to beautify its streets, public places and housing stock, and unify the residents who live there. With every new attempt there has been incremental progress.

But in the latest effort, which joins the resources of the Poquonnock Bridge Neighborhood Association and Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Task Force, Fort Hill may be poised to take a giant step forward.

While these volunteers are still interested in snuffing out blight and crime, their focus is on instilling a sense of pride in the neighborhood. Not everyone owns in Fort Hill, many residents are renters, but renting doesn't negate the usual obligations of living in a community.

So after recent snowfalls, the volunteers have gone from house to house, handing out copies of town ordinances requiring residents to clear snow from sidewalks. It's a gentle reminder that seems to be helping. The same as when they nudged the Town Council in December to create an appeals board so town officials can properly enforce a uniform property maintenance code enacted for Fort Hill by these same volunteers.

They set an example by maintaining their own properties and the community park and public spaces in their neighborhood, hoping their behavior becomes contagious. They shovel their walks and maintain their yards and gardens, proving that Fort Hill is worthy of the same respect as every other Groton neighborhood.