Natalynne Baker, executive vice president of St. Mary, told the Dayton Daily News that the NATO event would have a huge impact on residents. The Parliamentary Assembly is bringing hundreds of legislators from European countries to Dayton this week.
On Wednesday morning, close to a dozen residents congregated on the sidewalk outside the building, watching work crews assemble the last of the 8-foot metal security fencing that will prevent them from accessing the street in front of the building’s main entrance.
“The seniors have expressed anxiousness about the change and the fear of the unknown,” Baker said. “The pickup point for residents to catch rides and such is a walk from the building, and they worry how they are going to get to and from, especially with rain predicted.”
Baker said the Dayton Police and Fire departments have offered support to the seniors but there is still unclear guidance from the city about parking for the seniors and building employees.
“The onsite staff said they are adapting and managing with grace to ensure everyone’s needs are met, but it is a huge lift for many of the seniors,” Baker said.
Some Biltmore residents have medical treatments and appointments that cannot be missed.
“Many of our residents have mobility issues and may struggle to walk out of the (security) zone to meet transportation, and a large majority of our residents depend on public transportation from the RTA or paratransit,” she said.
Biltmore resident Aarion Smith was among those outside Wednesday morning, watching the final fencing go up on the sidewalk outside his home. One of his neighbors was angrily yelling at the work crews, but Smith said the area sometimes has trouble with “a lot of riff-raff” and he didn’t mind the fencing.
“We knew this was going to happen. Some people are saying they don’t like it, but better safe than sorry,” Smith said. “So many countries are coming here, and their entourages, so you have to keep everybody safe.”
Dolores Walker, who lives at the Biltmore Towers, said there’s a security gate across from the tower’s front door, which should make it pretty easy to get in and out of her apartment building.
She said she thinks it’s “fabulous” that Dayton is hosting an event that is bringing leaders from around the globe. She said she remembers when foreign leaders came to Dayton 30 years ago for the peace agreement that ended the Bosnian war.
“I’m glad to see Dayton hit the national news again,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what’s going on.”
