Safer than Naperville

Take in the idyllic beauty of quiet downtown Elgin.
Look at the public money spent to beautify it and command respect from the residents.
The architectural streetlamps, the patriotic banners, the planter boxes, the real brick pavers, the recreation center, the parking garage...
But just around the corner Elgin's rec center, called The Centre, has four broken windows . Unlike the library, they appear to be shot out.

And they are a pain to replace. They had one lane of Kimball blocked yesterday with a snorkel unit attempting to reach from the street to the broken windows. I guess they had trouble because the windows haven't been replaced and the snorkel is parked in the lot just west of The Centre.
Broken window #1. Near the Northeast corner by the running track. Note the rowhouses across the street.
Broken window #2, between the running track and the pool.

Broken window #3 at the daycare area.

Broken window #4 at the pool.

Security camera guarding the city vehicle parking lot.Once again, this is happening on a busy street a block away from the police station.

But crime is way down according to authorities.

UPDATE: The windows at The Centre were replaced sometime on or about September 2nd.

Smash and Grab...

...at the computer lab.

These photos were taken today at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, Illinois.
When you combine an abundance of ROCKS...

...with the temptation of computers in the window...
...you get broken windows.
There are THREE of them currently as indicated by the arrows.Now, this library has gone all out to serve the community. They just opened a teen center. They have summer programs and a coffee shop and free Internet access and free videos and free music downloads and a medieval exhibit...

I'm thinking Nanny is a bit upset about what they get in return.

Where do we go from here? I don't know. These break-ins are right along Kimball Street, not along the back side of the building. When they are that determined, only a high fence will keep them out.

Update: Sometime between 9/13 and 9/18 the windows were FINALLY replaced. Any way you look at it, the broken windows were neglected for too long.