Caption:
Wanda Sayer and Myrna Raisnen write down ideas during a brainstorm session for Central Hillside.
By Naomi Yaeger-Bischoff
hillsider@sundogpress.com
Residents of the Central Hillside neighborhood gathered to brainstorm for ideas to make the area a nicer place to live and do business on Thurs., Sept. 14. Mike Fisher and Heidi Bringman, consultants with LHB Corp. led the group in three exercises. People sat at round tables and shared ideas. In the first exercise people wrote down what they thought were problems. The group was then treated to a supper. The next step was to complete and exercise with “idea Cards” in which people drew a picture or wrote down in words what would be a good, important or exciting idea for Central Hillside. Twenty-four ideas cards were used. Some of the ideas include: drawings of street-lights, better traffic controls, addition of fencing, a neighborhood watch, street improvements, a mini-bus transportation system, improving the acoustics in the Washington Center, beautifying or adding green space, creating gardens, encouraging walking and biking, a youth center, leveling of the hill of the Park and Rec area. The third and final exercise of the night was to define an area of focus. People were asked to circle or pinpoint on a map the exact area they would like to see the ideas implemented. Before people left for the night, people were giving a sticker and asked if they woke up in the morning with $1million to spend in the Central Hillside, which area of focus would they spend the money. Lighting the Hillside received the most stickers. Bringman said, “A lot of people were pretty clever in their ideas.” A unique idea she heard was to have a training program with a volunteer from University of Minnesota or the University of Wisconsin to help with simple landscape ideas to apply to our own homes. Another idea was to have a training process for landlords to make sure rental properties are up to code. LHB Corp was hired as the consultant for the “At Home in Duluth,” which is a collaboration of the City of Duluth, Duluth LISC, and Neighborhood Housing Services. Bringman said that the Duluth Neighborhood Revitalization planning is off to a great start. She urges residents to come hear what Central Hillside neighbors think and share ideas for future revitalization efforts.
The next meeting is scheduled for:
Thursday, November 2nd at the Central Hillside Community Center, 6pm.
