The residents of the West End who have been attending meetings dealing with the proposed revitalization project should be encouraged to continue their involvement. It is important for residents' voices to be heard, even if they must compromise and opt for acceptance of some things they initially opposed. Virtually all the time there is some opposition to a proposal, but what must emerge must be something that benefits the big picture.

Improving the bigger picture is what the West End project envisions.

While the residents merit praise for their input, officials should be cautious about giving false hopes along the way, or indicating that the mere existence of opposition would cause important elements of the plan to be scuttled. Unfortunately, that was what was implied by City Councilman Joseph Bratkovich when he told West End residents that knowing the opposition of residents to the proposed Wayne Street extension would make it difficult for the council to support it.

Perry O'Malley, executive director of the housing and redevelopment authority, expressed the situation more appropriately when he told residents that "we need to balance the citizens' and the city's needs. The point is, when decisions have to be made, they may in effect step on some people's toes."

"Somebody needs to make those decisions that will benefit 80 or 90 percent of the people," he said.

Mayor Leonard Pintell was correct in emphasizing that "continual input from city residents" is needed. And, it should be encouraging to West End residents that the mayor pledged additional meetings regarding the project.

"It will be a minimum four to six years before this project is finished, and we want to answer any questions you might have," he said.

The West End project is a bold initiative, and residents can help by offering ideas and alternatives for consideration. They would benefit neither themselves nor their neighborhood by opting for obstructionism.

The status quo is not in the West End's best interests.