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Near West Side Residents Create Goals for Dream Neighborhood |
 On November 19th, 80 Near West Side residents gathered at their monthly meeting to participate in the Sustainability Academy's "Dream Neighborhood" session.
GreeningUSA and the Near West Side Initiative Residents Group combined forces to create synergy between the Initiative's ongoing neighborhood engagement and the Academy's final session in the neighborhood for 2009.
The session commenced with the presentation of video messages gathered during the Sustainability Academy "Trick or Trees" Festival on November 9th. At the event, community members were asked various questions about their neighborhood, such as: "If you could improve one thing in your neighborhood, what would it be?", "How would you like to change your neighborhood?", "What kind of neighborhood do you want to live in?" Many attendees commented about improving safety in the neighborhood and creating more opportunities for children and youth. Here are some samples of what neighbors had to say:
"I'd like to improve the housing. We're seeing more trees, that is great!"
"I'd like to see the kids off the streets."
"I want to live in a safe environment."
"Clean up the neighborhood."
"No litter."
"Get rid of the violence."
"Make more parks with swings and fields to play."
"Better communication amongst neighbors."
"More events for children."
"A community with unity."
"A community with parents that read to their kids."
"I would like to see people take care of their homes and lawns. I'd like for there to be community gardens and neighbors sharing ideas about gardening."
"I want to have more of the neighbors coming together showing their talents, which could be anything."
"I'd create a seniors lunch with health care on site. Nice green yards where seniors can sit outside and do inter-generational activities. To be able to walk in a nice, safe environment."
The second portion of the evening focused on what residents dreams were for each of the committees that currently serve on. Participants were encouraged to view their neighborhood committee work as the means to achieve their dream neighborhood. Each committee focused on their big picture dreams as well as on several small manageable steps for 2010 and began to pave concrete steps to creating change in the neighborhood.
Green Space Committee
1) Community Gardens
2) Partner with schools / organizations
3) Community Outreach / Awareness
Safety Committee
1) Drug free place and street
2) More safe for people to be able to walk around
3) More police visible
4) Gang free and help work on the Westside
5) More lighting in place
6) More work on roads
7) Better roads and sidewalks; clean and clear
8) More volunteer help
Employment Committee
1) Research “Low Hanging Fruit” for jobs currently available in the community.
2) Create workforce development program
Small wins:
- Talk to CNY Works to find out about job opportunities
- Work with NWS partners to learn of job opportunities
- Create a network of employers and neighborhood job seekers
- Find a sustainable model for NWS in WFD
- Create network of partners (ie. CNY works, MDA, SU etc.)
- Find potential employers
Arts
1) Recognize the arts that exist currently in the neighborhood
2) Make arts more accessible
Small wins
- Caroling Event
- Increase arts committee membership
- Collaborate with other committees – green space, employment, etc.
- Make bike even annual
Seniors
1) Helped seniors with eating lunches and will continue in the future now and later.
2) Help seniors to have a good, safe, environment
3) Take them to events like bowling, casino, playing games, movies, plays (like “Little Women” etc.)
4) Maybe have little gifts for the seniors who are shut-ins.
5) We plan in 2010 to provide as much help as possible for all our seniors!!
Youth
1) Playground in Skiddy Park
2) Jobs for the youth
Small wins:
- Starting a babysitting club
- Fund raise $4500 to match Kaboom! to build playground at Skiddy Park
Housing
1) We will have beautiful and affordable housing.
Small wins:
- Contact elected representatives
- Continue with home headquarters partnership
- Create a landlord list
- Presentation
 Following committee presentations, Bob Haley and Dean Biancavilla from the Urban Design Center introduced the concept of a neighborhood charrette process that could integrate the committees' ideas into a broader neighborhood plan, which could then become part of the City's master plan. Gladys Smith also informed the group about ongoing neighborhood engagement through the West Side TNT, an initiative of the City's Community Development office. Funding for the Sustainability Academy festival was provided by the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute through a grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conversation and through the Gifford Foundation. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 12 December 2009 )
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