Community Meeting (May): Assets, Challenges and Opportunities

On May 16, 2024, Park City Communities and the City of Bridgeport hosted Community Meeting #1 at Columbus School. Approximately fifty participants, including thirty adult residents from the Charles F. Greene Homes attended, and fifteen youth, plus seven community partners and the core planning team. Among the attendees were partners, stakeholders from the community, including elected officials City Councilman Cruz, and Mayor Joe Ganim.

The goals of this meeting focused on:

Sharing about the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative and planning process and showcase the type of engagement activities that will be designed throughout this process to gather insights, perspectives, ideas, experiences and priorities.
Identifying community assets, challenges, and opportunities through diverse interactive activities and group discussions.
Launching the Resident Needs Assessment Survey while increasing awareness for resident participation.

The meeting format included open engagement activities through stations displaying materials and prompts for resident input; it also included breakouts for small group conversations and collaborative activities.

Voting: Residents were asked to prioritize the top three (3) assets, challenges and opportunities in The Hollow community.

Resident Survey: Charles F Greene Homes residents had the opportunity to complete digitally or printed Needs Assessment Survey.

Interactive Map: Residents were asked through notecards to identify community assets, challenges and opportunities.

Breakout Groups: Residents discussed, documented and reported back about their selected top three assets, challenges and opportunities.

Youth Voices: Young residents contributed their ideas for a logo design, as well as their perspective on assets and challenges. They even took the mic to share their thoughts with their community.

To close the meeting, residents participated in an exciting raffle! The more activities they engaged with, the more opportunities to participate in the raffle they had. Congratulations to the resident winners!

Some of the key findings from this meeting are organized below by the elements of the Plan: Neighborhood, Housing, and People:

Neighborhood

Local businesses: Residents showed significant pride about the locally-owned businesses, particularly restaurants showcasing the diversity of the community. This is considered a main asset and opportunity to positively emphasize The Hollow.
Transportation: Residents recognized the positive value of being next to the downtown area, and the easy access to public transportation; there are some concerns about pedestrian safety in specific intersections.
Open Space: Generally, residents like their current park spaces, but expressed the need for more and closer open spaces for family and kids recreational activities given the high percentage of youth population in the neighborhood.
Walkability: There is a direct connection between safety and walkability; multiple comments included improving street lighting and universal accessibility.

Housing

Housing Conditions: Residents shared concerns about poor housing conditions and desire for additional types of spaces for community activities and recreation at Charles F. Greene Homes.
Residential Shared Amenities: Concerns about access of non-residents to the Charles F. Greene Homes that make residents feel unsafe (basements, vestibule to buildings).

People

Youth engagement: Continue to create activities to engage youth perspectives; their voices and insights are very relevant and connected with community safety and wellness.
Health and Wellness: Residents constant emphasis on the need for safe community spaces.
Safety: Significant concerns about gun violence and drug use in multiple areas inside the Green Homes (outdoor spaces and inside buildings).
Education: Residents like their local schools, and would like additional programs to be offered through them because of their convenient location.