Cultural trust helps Downtown safety

I agree wholeheartedly with Kevin McMahon’s requests of Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto ( July 17, “Downtown Crime Disturbs Cultural Trust”). As a former employee of a company located at Sixth Street and Liberty Avenue, I saw on numerous occasions city police and police dogs trying to peacefully curtail fights, drug exchanges, panhandlers, etc., only to be ridiculed and mocked by the perpetrators, who in turn continued doing what they were doing.

My husband and I are season ticket subscribers to the Pittsburgh CLO and are also frequent visitors to Downtown for business and pleasure. The abhorrent condition of this area was recently brought to the surface with the closing of the parking garage on the corner of Ninth Street and Penn Avenue. We decided to find a garage in that area until, after a CLO performance, we drove down Liberty Avenue and saw how frightfully impossible that would be for anyone who has a concern for his or her well being.

My husband and I are frequent travelers also, and the first thing we notice upon returning from a trip are the news reports about the killings and shootings taking place in various areas of the city. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has come a long way in making Pittsburgh a better place, and it should be given everything it has requested to provide safety for the people attending its performances, thus aiding Downtown residents and others as well. ROSE MARIE LANG Monroeville way. But there are many that do; look at his rallies.

It’s like the country is on the ledge of a building and considering jumping off into a hatefilled future. It scares me. It should terrify us all. NICHOLAS BALANDIAT

Baldwin Borough