Your Voice Will Help Shape The Future Of Waynedale: Councilman’s Corner
Exciting things are happening in Southwest Fort Wayne. This Summer, residents in and around the Waynedale community are being called to give their input to form the “Waynedale 2040 Neighborhood Plan (WNP).” This is called the “heavy engagement phase”—and it is entirely dependent on you.
The WNP is being designed as a long-term roadmap to optimize the quality of life in the Waynedale area, based on your input. We are fortunate to have an extraordinary Neighborhood Development team in our city’s administration who are dedicated to improving your neighborhood. Our Mayor, I, and other members of City Council have been working to maximize the resources allocated to this process (without raising taxes). For my neighbors living in the Jefferson area and Aboite Township, we have already begun preliminary plans to bring comprehensive neighborhood plans to you along the same model which you are seeing with the WNP.
The WNP committee kicked off after our June 2024 Townhall at the Waynedale United Methodist Church. It includes me, our amazing Neighborhood Development team, neighborhood leaders, local pastors, and others with an enduring commitment to our long-term community planning. The committee began with a thorough review of historical data including previous questionnaire’s completed by the community. We then accumulated all of your feedback to date, the needs of local businesses and churches, along with demographic data including safety challenges. From this we constructed a list of areas where there are opportunities for improvement. These efforts led to the creation of a purposeful questionnaire which will now be presented to you for your input.
Each neighbor’s input will be reviewed and applied to form the WNP. So how can you give your input? There are 3 ways to share for your convenience.
First, we will be having several events this summer where you can come out and talk to us in person, listed below. I will be present at most of the following events:
- 5/26/25 – Waynedale Memorial Day Parade, beginning at 9am
- 6/9/25 – Waynedale Park Pavilion from 5-8pm (Elzey St, Fort Wayne, IN 46809)
- 6/11/25 – Psi Ote Park from 4-7pm (3500 Wenonah Ln, Fort Wayne, IN 46809)
- 7/10/25 – The Stand from 5-8pm (5200 Bluffton Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46809)
- 7/19/25 – Lakeshores Block Party, for Lakeshores Residents only, from 6-9pm at Avalon Church West Quad (1212 Lower Huntington Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46819; green space to the east)
- 7/24/25 – Willow Creek Crossing Apartments 5-8pm (7501 Lakeridge Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46819)
Second, I and other members of the plan committee will be knocking on doors in your neighborhood.
Third, you can find the questionnaire online at: engage.cityoffortwayne.org/waynedale-2040-neighborhood-plan . I also encourage my neighbors in the 4th District to connect with me on facebook or Instagram to share ideas in that setting. And I am always happy to attend HOA meetings or meet with you all as you wish.
In the meantime, I have been working in a team effort with the city to improve the infrastructure of the Waynedale neighborhood, and all the 4th District. There are many projects that are starting very soon to improve sidewalks, roads, and signage. These changes are based on the feedback you have sent to me and our city 311 call/email center. While there are too many to list here, you can follow me on Facebook for updates. Some of the streets scheduled first for improvements include Old Trail Road, Aviation Drive, St. Louis Avenue & Legoma Drive, and Reservation & Amhurst Drive, to be followed very soon by many others in Waynedale, the Jefferson area, and Aboite Township.
Another improvement that is coming very soon to Waynedale is the “Proactive Rezoning Initiative.” Thank you to all of you who came to the fire station in March to review this plan. The purpose was to rezone the streets around Lower Huntington Road, Bluffton Road, and Old Trail Road to be more friendly to residents and small business. The “old” rezoning plan was more industrial in nature. The Fort Wayne Plan Commission, on which I serve, recently passed this initiative. So, you can watch for approval by City Council very soon. This rezoning effort should complement our infrastructure improvements to contribute to a lifestyle that is more friendly to our families and small businesses.
In Summary, our neighborhoods are what make Fort Wayne the greatest mid-size city in the Midwest. We are fortunate to have a dedicated Neighborhood Development team and dedicated neighbors to help us construct a WNP roadmap for a brighter future. And now is the time! Your input is essential this Summer to define exactly what this will look like. So, engage with us this Summer at one of our events, online, or perhaps we will see you when we walk through your neighborhood.
Editorial submitted by Dr. Scott Myers, 4th District City Council
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