Blake Road Corridor Collaborative Updatehl 1020 i1]
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Tara Beard, Community Development Coordinator f
Date: September 6, 2012
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. In audition to strong participation from the city's PED and Police Departments, other
BRCC partners include Hennepin County, Shepherd of the Hills Church, 43 Hoops Basketball
Academy, and Hopkins School District, among others. The City in particular has benefitted
from the community relationships nurtured by the BRCC when seeking public input on projects
such as the Cottageville Park expansion and Southwest Light Rail Transit.
Cathy Maes, Executive Director of ICA and. Ann Beuch, Community Organizer for BRCC will
be sharing accomplishments of the BRCC since their last update to the Council in March of
2011, and goals for the future at the September 11 worksession.