From Our Point Of View: Ann Arbor Has A Nice New Anti-Littering Ordinance, But --

From Our Point Of View:

Ann Arbor Has Nice New Anti-Littering Ordinance, But--

The picture at the right is not a slum area scene in a big city. It was taken in an alley in downtown Ann Arbor on Wednesday of this week.

There may be worse conditions in some other alleys; the News photographer was not instructed to find the worst example of littering but to photograph conditions in this alley clearly observable from two busy streets. There are alleys in much better condition; The News printed a picture of one as a good example last summer.

A few weeks ago it was announced that Ann Arbor was one of 65 cities in 25 states to receive a Distinguished Achievement Award in the 1964 National Cleanest Town Contest.

The award didn’t mean that Ann Arbor was one of the cleanest cities in the country, but that steps were being taken here to improve the community from the standpoint of cleanliness and beauty. Mrs. Alicia Pratt, a former member of the City Council, has been a leader in the spring Clean-Up, Fix-Up campaigns here, and her committee has made some progress.

The kind of picture at the right obviously wasn’t in the scrapbook submitted as evidence of Ann Arbor’s progress. If there are many such scenes available, perhaps the city should return the award.

About a year ago the Ann Arbor City Council passed an anti-littering ordinance which some council-men said wasn’t needed because of legislation already on the books. City officials pointed out, however, that the comprehensive new ordinance would be much easier to enforce.

Gentlemen, let’s get with it!