City Holds Conference For Neighborhood Leaders
Anyone who wants to improve their neighborhoods and create a stronger sense of community in them can get help and direction next month.
Fort Wayne is having its third annual Inspire Neighborhoods Conference, a free opportunity for all city residents to network, learn, and create opportunities from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sept. 12.
The conference, to be held at Electric Works,1690 Broadway, Building 19, is meant to create and help grassroots efforts, making neighborhoods self-sufficient and connected, said Michael Terronez, neighborhood planner with Fort Wayne’s Department of Neighborhoods.
Many Waynedale residents, both longtime and newer, said they wanted the return of the sense of neighborhoods and community during July’s Waynedale 2040 Plan public input meetings. Terronez is project manager for that program, which will be used when planning the area’s future but isn’t connected to the conference.
People want to strengthen and revitalize social connections and relationships that used to exist.
“We lost a lot of that for various reasons,” Terronez said. COVID added to it, but wasn’t the sole cause.
Fort Wayne Spokeswoman Mary Tyndall said they couldn’t speak for national trends, but as people have more entertainment devices and don’t go outside as much, they lose the connections people had in the past and lose control over what happens.
Those are important relationships residents want back, helping each other in things such as mowing the grass, having block parties, or keeping an eye on neighbor kids playing outside, she said. They want to make sure neighborhoods are safe, friendly places to grow up.
Terronez said Fort Wayne has about 400 neighborhoods with 24 in the Waynedale area, but overall, only a quarter of them are active. The conference will help others start, build, or rebuild neighborhood associations.
The morning activities include three hour-long breakout sessions that teach about zoning, funding (including grants), safety through community activities, public transit, collaboration, and other subjects.
Afternoon workshops are set to cover goal setting, making connections, and identifying leaders.
The lunch keynote speaker will be JR Jamison, who is connected with Muncie’s The Facing Project, a storytelling program to raise awareness about poverty. He’ll speak on ‘Facing Our Neighbors: Using Narrative to Build Unit.’
The Keynote speaker for the awards dinner, which will run from 4:30-7 p.m. at Chapman’s Brewing Company at 1660 Broadway, is Sharon Tubbs of HealthVisions Midwest. Her speech is titled, “Healthy Me, Healthy Community – Why self-care and social support matter in local neighborhoods.”
Those interested in participating in the conference can sign up by Sept. 1 at engage.cityoffortwayne.org/inspire .
The event and all meals are at no cost to participants, Tyndall said.
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