Department of City and Regional Planning
Activity during the fall of 2001 semester focused on three main goals for the Sykes Street area: reduce loitering and drug activity, increase police presence and response, and address problems with absentee landlords and poor property upkeep. Residents selected these issues from a larger list that was generated by a survey in the spring of 2001. The list was presented to the residents during the Community Visioning Project held in November 2001. Beyond identifying these three goals, the residents expressed interest in holding a second visioning project to discuss remaining issues.
Following up on the information gathered during the Visioning Project, the fall 2001 workshop students made a presentation to the Chapel Hill Town Council on January 14th. Approximately fifteen residents attended the meeting. The students presented the three main issues along with four suggestions for solving them including:
The Sykes Street Steering Committee (SSSC) met prior to the opening of the 2002 spring semester to discuss how the workshop students could help towards achieving the goals from the Visioning Project. They decided that the semester task would be to plan, organize and implement block group meetings with the Sykes Street area in an effort to undertake activities that would facilitate the work of a community organizer later on. The purpose was twofold:
1. solicit wider input by bringing the visioning process to more residents, and
2. encourage interaction and community amongst neighbors.
Following this earlier focus, the workshop students formulated a preliminary plan for implementing the block group meetings. This plan was presented at the first SSSC meeting of the semester. After discussion, the committee concluded that it was premature to expect residents to open up their homes to one another at this point. Instead, they suggested holding a second Visioning Project, as requested by community members in the fall.
The second neighborhood-Visioning Project took place on Saturday, March 2, 2002 at the Old Northside School, and continued the momentum from the first neighborhood visioning process. The purpose of the second Visioning Project was to continue dialogue on the three primary concerns as well as other key neighborhood issues including: lighting, pedestrian and bike safety, parking, and improving community relationships. After flyering the neighborhood and making personal contacts with residents who had attended previous events, the SSSC conducted a second neighborhood visioning process where Northside residents shared opinions and worked with neighbors, property owners, representatives from non-profit organizations, and Town staff to develop solutions to the problems and issues raised.
The second visioning process started with a light breakfast and introductions. After residents were introduced, the accomplishments of the group were reviewed to date. Neighborhood residents then revisited issues raised from the first visioning before breaking into small groups to dialogue about action steps. Finally, the small groups presented their ideas to the larger group and were treated to a catered lunch. In addition to identifying areas of concern, this loose agenda also allowed space for the primary goals of the Visioning Project – to bring neighborhood residents together to build relationships and discuss possible solutions.
There were many benefits for the 20-30 Northside residents who attended the second Visioning Project including:
A common issue raised by all of the groups was the need for an increased Police presence in the area. Through dialogue, residents realized that the police are continuing to increase their foot and bike patrols in the neighborhood, and that residents need to work actively with the police to prevent the loitering and drug activity in the neighborhood. This means calling the police when an illegal activity is spotted, and leaving names and numbers. In addition to working with the police on the problem activities in the neighborhood, residents need to work with the court systems, as well as working on rehabilitation programs and job programs for neighborhood residents who are experiencing difficult life situations.
The day concluded with the residents agreeing that participation and interest in the community needs to continue to grow. Suggestions for increased participation and interest included fun, interactive neighborhood activities such as block parties and cookouts.
Building on concerns and suggestions brought up at the Community Visioning Project II, the SSSC began planning a community block party as a fun, safe, and interactive neighborhood activity. The official planning for the block party began with a neighborhood meeting at the home of a resident member of the SSSC. At this meeting, discussions touched on everything from time and place to food and entertainment.
The group decided that the Community Block Party ought to be more than just a social gathering, but that it should be treated as a large neighborhood meeting used to build relationships and trust, address neighborhood concerns, and educate residents about what they can do and how they can get involved. For this reason, the planning committee decided to structure the event around speeches presented by several members of the community.
The students worked with interested residents over the weeks that followed to make the arrangements necessary to make the block party a success. All of the students were assigned to a planning subcommittee. These committees included logistics, outreach, food, and entertainment.
While the students had anticipated that one or more residents would be assigned to each committee, this did not materialize. The few residents that participated were very involved in the planning and implementation process assuming responsibilities as they could and playing roles that crossed committee lines. This system seemed to work rather well.
The Community Block Party took place on Saturday, April 27, 2002 from 2-5 pm at the intersection of Sykes-Nunn-Whitaker-Graham Streets. Approximately 150 community members participated in the event exceeding our goal of 100.
Summary of the event planning:
Entertainment for the event ranged from music and dancing to speakers to art activities for children. Throughout the event, Orange County Housing and Land Trust (OCHLT), in conjunction with Empowerment, held an open house at 501 Sykes Street. Residents had the opportunity to learn about the Land Trust and to find out more about opportunities for home ownership in the neighborhood.
Darrick Woods from Triangle Mobile Sounds, a new tenant in Empowerment’s business incubator, was hired to DJ the event. Darrick was able to facilitate quite a bit of dancing, including a variety of popular line dances.
In keeping with the community nature of this event, a group of neighborhood residents, as well as local clergy, were asked to participate by singing, speaking , or leading the community in prayer. A North Graham resident sang three gospel songs to start the event off. Speakers included residents of the Sykes Street area, the Lloyd Street Neighborhood Association, and the Orange County Chapter of the NAACP, and Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy. Resident and SSSC member Delores Bailey was the EmCee for the event.
In an effort to reach out to the youth of the neighborhood, a number of activities were geared specifically for children. The Chapel Hill Fire Department provided a fully staffed fire engine for young and old to sit in and learn about the life of a firefighter. The high attendance rate of children and young adults was very encouraging, and spilled over into the evening through a separate program at the Hargraves Center.
The spring 2002 community development workshop with the residents in the Northside neighborhood was a good learning and growing tool with a number of great successes. Goals such as increasing community awareness and involvement have been achieved on a small scale. Neighborhood leaders continue to emerge, and with appropriate organization these leaders will add to the effectiveness of the Sykes Street Steering Committee.
The group hopes efforts this semester will provide the necessary momentum for continued neighborhood involvement and improvements. Suggestions for next steps the Steering Committee and DCRP workshop classes should evaluate are to continue to bring together different groups working in the Northside neighborhood including churches, youth groups, neighborhood associations, and non-profits and to explore funding options to support the work of a community organizer.