Wilmington community members, mayor talk public safety

The Williams Administration continued its neighborhood road tour Thursday with its cluster approach to address public safety and look for ways to improve neighborhoods.

The latest group were members of the city’s 4th and 5th districts who packed the Emergency Operations Center on Heald Street including Trinity Vicinity and Quaker Hill Neighborhood Associations. This was the second night of meetings held by the Williams Administration.

James Nolan, a sociology professor at West Virginia University says the purpose is to ultimately build stronger neighborhoods that he defines as places where there is low crime and people are connected. Nolan, who retired from the Wilmington Police Department, encourages more dialogue among community members which came easy for one Quaker Hill resident. “It’s good certainly to listen to where all of the neighborhoods are coming from, and I’m certainly hoping that this is the beginning of a discussion that we’ll actually start implementing some of the changes that we’ve needed for awhile,” said Cassandra Marshall of the Quaker Hill Neighborhood Association.

“My goal as a Trinity Vicinity officer is to reach the low crime area because that’s going to be integral in the nicer areas in Trinity not being so afraid,” said Nancy Lopez, who would like to see areas in her neighborhood that are polluted with heavy pockets of crime eliminated.

According to the Williams Administration the meetings will be held quarterly with the hope that leaders from every civic or community association in Wilmington stay engaged and dedicated to neighborhood improvement. Every few months there will even be a new topic up for discussion. “I believe collaborative efforts between neighborhood and community groups alongside the City of Wilmington will generate new approaches to working with each other in addition to improving and stabilizing neighborhoods,” said Ivey Ibrahim, Director of the Office of Neighborhood Development.

“Providing information, resources, and support to dedicated individuals committed to transforming our neighborhoods will help motivate and inspire others to join in making Wilmington a city of clean, peaceful neighborhoods,” said Mayor Dennis P. Williams.

Neighborhood planning councils in the districts 6 through 8 will meet later this month. The last meeting of the first quarter is scheduled for January 27th where associations in the Southwest/Wawaset area are expected to bring their ideas and goals for the year.

Anyone who wish to engage in online dialogue regarding public safety, stronger civic groups and neighborhood development, can share their thoughts and ideas at communitycluster@wilmingtonde.gov