Ardmore neighborhood group fights to save homes from South Shore rerouting

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Putting a face to a story we’ve been covering all year-- the multi-million dollar plan to reroute the South Shore train would reduce commutes, but it would also mean cutting out some homes.

While project organizers aren’t sure yet which path the reroute will go, their preliminary plans show that the route would go somewhere between Oak Road and Lexington Avenue.

Michael Harradon lives right in between those streets. He has lived in his Grove Street home for over a decade with his finance and young son.

“What I see? The swimming pool where I taught my son to swing. The garage where I learned daddy can fix almost anything, the drive way where my son learned to ride a bike, I also learned there daddys kisses make everything a little bit better. The house? It’s not just a home its where my son said his first words where we’ve made it together as a family I beg, plead do not take away our home,” says Harradon.

Harradon and others in the Ardmore neighborhood have started a petition in hopes that South Shore organizers might take a look at the actual people living in those homes that could be affected. It already has over 300 signatures

“They’re not just taking home people’s homes and properties they are taking away peoples love peoples admiration for the Ardmore neighborhood. I actually owe more than my home is worth because of the decline in the market and if this happened I’m going to be 50,000 dollars in debt and homeless. It’s not just a death sentence its an end to life. I see no positive outcome if this were to through,” says Harradon.

The South Shore rerouting organizers plan to hold public meetings beginning within the next few months. Harradon and the Ardmore neighborhood group have already started meeting and developing their own plans that do not involve destroying any homes.

Click here for more information about the change.org petition and the latest on the Ardmore neighborhood meetings.