"This is why we can't have nice things".

Greene Square violence is on the rise in downtown Cedar Rapids, escalating last week to the point of a fatal fight (and eventual death of a man).

Recommendations were laid out recently by city council member Dale Todd, which included the installation of security cameras in Greene Square, and now it looks like that particular recommendation is being acted upon.

The plan includes "proactive policing", and the $1.6 million in funding for the project is coming out of revenue from (those pesky) traffic camera violations.

Despite the increasing problems, the city wants you to know you should still feel safe downtown. Councilman Todd told CBS2,

Anybody that has the perception that they are not safe in downtown or Greene Square or in any of our other parks, that's wrong

The next safety measure being looked at will be a permanent police presence in the park. I know I've seen a lot more police up and down 4th Avenue recently between Greene Square to our building at Plaza 425 and the Ground Transportation Center next door.

No one wants to see one of our beautiful downtown landmarks becoming a police state, but it certainly appears the city is ramping up security for the betterment of keeping it a safe environment for everyone to enjoy.

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