No train in my backyard

The young man spoke softly, but the emotion was palpable. In opening his speech, Assaf Obsfeld, the owner of several coffee shops on Emek Refaim Street and elsewhere in the city center, put it simply and clearly: In his view, the plan to run the next light rail line through the German Colony's major thoroughfare is nothing less than a death sentence for his business. On Monday evening, at least 200 residents of the German Colony, Katamon and surroundings attended a meeting at Beit Yehudit (the Ginot Ha'ir local council) to hear more about what has become a major concern for these neighborhoods – the next line of the light rail, the Blue Line. The Blue Line is planned to run along 800 meters of Emek Refaim. However, there is an alternative that proposes to run that segment along Harakevet Street, which was the route through which the old railway connecting the city with the center of the country ran until 1998. Supporters of this alternative pointed out that not only are there no restaurants, cafes, shops or any other businesses on Harakevet (that would have to shut down during the roadwork), but the street itself is much wider than Emek Refaim. Obsfeld was only one among about 10 residents who presented their view and position, but the majority spoke out against the plan – not against the light rail itself but against the part of the route along Emek Refaim. All the residents, however, were united in one aspect: Dread of the amount of turmoil the roadwork would cause for any option that would be adopted. Among the residents who spoke was Martin Elton, who vehemently opposed the Emek Refaim option. He said, “We must be realistic about the political realities… We are unlikely to get anywhere by opposing any of the proposed extensions of the light rail system.” Elton, like most of the participants, understood and probably even agreed that the planned extensions of the light rail are a reality that cannot be denied. What remains is to determine where and at what cost for the well-being of the residents, especially seniors, during the period of roadwork, which is expected to take at least six years. What Elton and the other residents suggested was to find alternative ways to reap the benefits of the light rail with a minimum of curses. “This could be achieved by having the Malha segment of the line go along Pierre Koenig Street to Yehuda or Hatnufa street, then up to Gilo through the Hebron Road branch,” suggested Elton (to great applause). On a more local note, Elton accused Ginot Ha'ir director Shaike El-Ami of collaborating with the Master Plan For Mass Transportation in Jerusalem's creators and proponents instead of supporting the residents' interests. Elton ended his presentation by stating that since it is clear that as far as the municipality is concerned the matter of Emek Refaim is closed, “The only hope of avoiding the totally unnecessary upheaval of the German Colony is via the court system and/or public pressure.” El-Ami did not respond to Elton's accusations.

No train in my backyard

“We must be realistic about the political realities… We are unlikely to get anywhere by opposing any of the proposed extensions of the light rail system.”

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