INDIANAPOLIS — Community leaders and residents on Indianapolis' far eastside gathered Saturday to identify key issues and develop solutions to revitalize their neighborhood.
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The meeting, led by the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside, brought together neighbors to discuss findings from a recent community-wide study and survey. Participants shared their visions for strengthening the area while reviewing data on topics ranging from mental health and employment to youth programs.
"I think getting everybody involved, so getting more members of the community out here, getting more people focused on development, things like that, even just community cleanups [is important,]" said Darrell Shaffer, a far eastside resident.
Education emerged as a top concern for many attendees.
"The education opportunities out there, not just your schools, but what type of trade schools, like what are we really giving our people today to make them better adults?" far eastside resident Damon Terry asked.
Safety also ranked high among community priorities. Shaffer highlighted pedestrian safety concerns, citing insufficient street lighting as a particular issue.
The community discussion represents the first step in a broader revitalization effort. Britt Redd, CEO of Ubuntu Planning Studio, outlined the next phase of the initiative.
"So the next step would be identifying what the priorities are now that we have a shared understanding of the conditions, what are the five to six areas that we should really focus on and the plan and like what strategies could come from that," Redd said.
The far eastside community plans to use Saturday's input to develop targeted strategies addressing residents' most pressing concerns.
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