Memo - 4th Street North SidewalksMEMO
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Tara Beard, Community Development Coordinator
Date: March 4, 2011
Subject: Blake Road Corridor Collaborative Update
Efforts to revitalize and improve livability in the Blake Road Corridor began in an organized
way in 2005 with the creation of the Blake Road Corridor Stakeholders Collaborative. Initiated
by Hopkins Police Chief Craig Reid, many partners were brought in to find and create resources
to address increases in crime and a lack of youth activities. This original Collaborative received
funding for increased policing, national night out activities, and a community -wide assessment of
the needs and concerns in the area that was completed by the Wilder Foundation in April 2008.
In addition to (and in collaboration with) City efforts to address outcomes identified by the
Stakeholders Collaborative and the community assessment, Social Service leaders in the
community, Resource West and Intercongregation Association (ICA) stepped up to take on these
endeavors with generous help from Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Together they
have created a new Blake Road Corridor Collaborative (BRCC) that builds on past and current
work in the Corridor and strives to empower residents and businesses to work together with local
government and organizations to create the changes in their neighborhood that they would like to
see.
LISC funded a consultant and other costs in the creation of a Community Action Plan to address
needs and concerns in the community. Alvaro Rivera was hired in February of 2010 to
implement the Community Action Plan and continue outreach and organization in the
neighborhood. Alvaro left the BRCC in January of 2011 and AmeriCorps volunteer Ann Beuch
has taken over the community organizer role since then.
March 8a`'s worksession presentation will be an update on the BRCC including its budget,
accomplishments since last year's update, and plans for 2011 and beyond.