Ardmore neighbors rally for Monday's council meeting

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Ardmore neighbors are mobilizing for Monday’s common council meeting, where they plan to protest the South Shore Line building a route through their homes.

It was standing room only in the Ardmore—LaSalle Church of Christ Friday night, as the Ardmore troops readied for Monday’s battle at the South Bend Common Council meeting.

The South Shore Line is eyeing the Ardmore neighborhood as one of the proposed new routes for the railroad expansion—to the anger of those who live there.

The new committee formed to fight the plan has already gotten more than 400 signatures in an online petition opposing it.

Monday, they’ll be marching outside of the Common Council meeting starting at 5:30—all decked out in their bright orange shirts.

Neighbors say it’s a fight for their lives that all citizens of south bend should care about .

“Their tax money is paying for this. $26 million! …I raised my two kids in this home. I just can’t do it. We can’t let this come through here. It’s going to destroy lives,” said Richard Collins, who lives on Ardmore.

On Wednesday, some South Bend Common Council members filed a resolution on the Ardmore Neighborhood’s behalf, outlining three requests:

• Preserve Ardmore homes by choosing an alternate route for the South Shore Line expansion.
• If they do choose to re-route the line through their homes, provide adequate financial compensation to homeowners.
• Reimburse taxpayers in the re-route zone for any of the TIF funds funneled into the South Shore Line project.

Neighbors are planning to march outside of the County-City Building Monday starting at 5:30 p.m.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m