Wallaceburg residents will be encouraged to take control of their neighborhood's image in a presentation from Chatham-Kent police Wednesday night.
The CKPS' Community Safety and Wellbeing team is holding a meeting specifically geared towards Wallaceburg's Wallace St. neighborhood. It'll discuss the importance of partnerships and community associations in shaping a friendly and safe place to live.
Coordinator Marjorie Crew says one of the first things neighbors need to do is figure out their priorities.
"Is it safety, well-being, are they concerned about police calls in the area? Are they concerned about youth having nothing to do? We're trying to help neighborhoods help themselves," says Crew.
She adds that, while every neighborhood has its own problems and needs, they can take notes from other associations for inspiration. Crew cited Taylor Ave. in Chatham as a success story as an example.
"There's the perception that Wallace St. is a bad neighborhood. But I took a drive down there, and I thought 'it doesn't look so bad to me,'" says Crew. "There's a beautiful river, I see opportunities for community gardens if they want, or flower beds, or just extending the trails."
The meeting begins at 6:30pm at the Moose Lodge on Duke St. in Wallaceburg.
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