Durham, Chapel Hill, Ann Arbor, Eugene, Gainesville. Each place is best known for the college or university they represent. There's good reason for that: the areas are constructed, oriented and intended in every respect for college students, not for ordinary town residents.
We recently ran a two-part series about the relationship between Durham and the town community, outlining both the problems and solutions that have created such a gap between the two.
The articles cited the Cowell Drive Residents Association, who complained of late-night parties, littering, parking violations, and problems with lawn care and maintenance. The stories also mentioned other town officials that were concerned with shared facilities and real estate taxes. Some of these complaints are valid; others are not.
Late-night parties are going to happen. There's no getting around it. College is supposed to be the best four years of your life, and students will take full advantage of their freedom. Unless one's personal property is damaged or destroyed, it's unfair for town residents to complain about too much partying on campus. The police will handle what's legal and illegal, but beyond that, it is a student's right to enjoy college life as he or she sees fit.
It's also unfair for residents to feel slighted by the real estate tax and zoning laws. Those are out of their hands and the university's. UNH provides jobs, facilities and education to the Durham population through state funding. Community members shouldn't feel upset about it; the laws don't apply to Portsmouth or Newmarket, and there are plenty of students waiting to snatch up more off-campus real estate in Durham. The tax increase is one more thing town residents will have to deal with when they choose to live in Durham; that's just how it is.
The two sides need to work together to relieve some of the tension. It would better the student experience and the lives of the community members, but it takes effort on both sides. Most of it falls on the students. The town residents and officials suggest that students volunteer more of their free time to help the town's seniors and be more aware of their impact on the community as a whole.
We agree. Students need to volunteer and participate in events that promote and help Durham, but on the other side, town residents need to be more accepting of the student lifestyle. A mutually beneficial relationship can't exist if the community erupts in frustration every time an off-campus student throws a party or parks their car in the wrong place.
The bottom line is that Durham residents have chosen to live in Durham. There are certain ties to the town that don't exist for surrounding areas like Lee or Madbury. For better or worse, the students of college towns make the areas what they are. Durham just isn't the same place in the summer or during winter vacation.
We say, respectfully, if you don't like it, you have the option to live somewhere else. We hope you stay, but UNH is Durham. That's not going to change anytime soon.
Be the first to comment on this article!