On Jan. 13, Dashane Santana was walking with friends after classes for the day at CASTLE Middle School. According to published reports, she dropped a bookbag, and went back to retrieve it. In the intersection at Clinton Street, a minivan struck and killed the 12 year old who lived in the Jacob Riis II Houses.
Now her grandmother, Teresa Pedroza, is hoping to have the north side of Delancey at Clinton co-named for Deshane — both as a way to recognize the girl and promote safety along the notoriously dangerous street.
Last week, Pedroza made her case in front of CB3's transportation committee. As DNAinfo reported, some committee members felt as if too many streets were being co-named. (One committee member suggested naming the incoming pedestrian plaza along the south side of Delancey Street between Norfolk and Clinton after Dashane instead of the intersection.)
Per BoweryBoogie: "What seemed like a no-brainer move met some opposition and red tape, as certain guidelines are not met. Such co-namings require the remembered to have served the community in some capacity for at least 15 years. Obviously, Dashane Santana is an exception (an unforeseen event) to these rules."
The committee tabled the issue, in part, because Pedroza didn't have enough signatures from residents in the immediate area.
On Tuesday night, Shawn Chittle spotted Pedroza (pictured above) collecting signatures on Delancey. There's also an online petition that people can sign here.
If the intention is to co-name streets for acts of heroism, self-sacrifice or longstanding service to the community then it is reasonable to take time to consider the merits of this proposal.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, co-namings have been approved at a lower threshold than appropriate but those are decisions for the community board. In this case it seems only fair that if 11th Street was co-named for Jodie Lane because of her death due to stray voltage then Dashane Santana should be honored for her death in a traffic accident.
They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because both events were tragic but unintentional it may stretch the concept of what self-sacrifice is. However, their deaths spurred changes within Con Ed and the D.O.T. that may save many lives.
Please approve this co-naming.
well stated.
ReplyDeleteAgreed with Bowery Boogie this is a no-brainer.
ReplyDeleteNormally I don't comment to anonymous but whomever you are, thanks for the Jodie Lane reference, something I too thought was precedence for naming the (section) of the Delancey street for Dashane. It serves as a reminder of why her name is there: to be careful.
Naming the pedestrian plaza is not a bad idea or alternative, is it?
I just signed the petition. Thanks to Shawn Chittle for being on the scene!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm anonymous 2:36 PM, I never like being anonymous on the internet, but was operating on three hours sleep when I left that comment. Okay, as you were.
ReplyDeleteHa! If there was a name for the ages, it's be "Anonymous Wombacher"
ReplyDeletean anon reveals himself?!
ReplyDelete