West Side Grows Together releases an Official Update to the resident-driven West Side Revitalization Plan to provide roadmap for ongoing collective impact efforts on the West Side of Wilmington

An attendee at the Community Meal speaks with one of the facilitators, Maria Gonzalez regarding the presentation boards covering the West Side Plan update draft recommendations

The Update to the West Side Revitalization Plan is complete and the public is invited to review this collaborative, resident-driven effort, at the Open House & Celebration on Thursday, October 3, from 6-8pm. The free event will be held at Solomon’s Court, 1512 W. 4th Street, Wilmington, DE 19805. Food will be provided and children are welcome. To view the updated West Side Revitalization Plan, visit: westsidegrows.org/planupdate.

West Side Grows Together is a place-based community-driven collaborative effort which focuses on the neighborhoods stretching from Pennsylvania Ave. to Lancaster Ave. and I-95 to the railroad tracks west of Bancroft Parkway. Back in 2011 and 2012, the residents, organizations, institutions and businesses of Wilmington's West Side decided that the only way to bring about the future they wanted for their neighborhoods was to create a common vision and work together to make that vision a reality. And, over the past 12 years, they have worked hard to direct additional resources and attention to West Side neighborhoods. Specifically in the West Side Revitalization Plan’s core pillar areas of Economic Development, Housing, Parks & Open Spaces, Community-Building, and Youth Opportunities. 

The event on October 3rd marks the conclusion of a 1.5 year long process to update the original West Side Revitalization Plan. Led by the West Side Grows Together Steering Committee, made up of 25+ local businesses, civic associations, churches, organizations, and local residents, and facilitated by Interface Studios. The process included a community engagement survey of 288 residents throughout the West Side about their needs and perceptions of the community, 5 focus groups of 110+ attendees across the core pillar areas of the West Side Plan, 19 stakeholder interviews, 1 community meal event to review the draft, and strategic input from the West Side Grows Together Steering Committee members. All of this feedback contributed to the final Updated West Side Revitalization Plan that will be shared at the Open House & Celebration, disseminated widely through communications campaigns, and is available to view online at westsidegrows.org/planupdate. In addition to the core pillar areas mentioned above, the West Side Plan Update includes two new sections: Youth & Community-Building, and Health & Well-Being.

Clara Zahradnik  is a resident of the West Side and is the current President of the West Side Grows Together Steering Committee. She expressed that, “West Side Grows Together is quite an amazing organization that has shown the true power of diversity that is collaborative and focused on improving the West Side through the West Side Revitalization Plan. Our member organizations and representatives bring knowledge, talent, and dedication to accomplish projects, but most importantly, to build bridges among community groups and expand the vision of what a community can be and do. I am very proud of what has been accomplished and look forward to working with our membership to make the next decade even better.”

A few examples of West Side Grows Together projects over the years, driven by residents and community leaders in the West Side, include the Community Playground Design Project (Connell St, 4th & Rodney, Father Tucker, Cool Spring & Tilton Parks), United Neighbors murals across I-95, Lights On Wilmington Strong, the annual MLK Clean Up, Peace March & Celebration, West Side Grows Community Gardens, Cool Spring Farmers Market, Wilmington Strong Fund and Innovation Fund for small businesses, various development projects including those led by Steering Committee Members Woodlawn Trustees (the Flats), Be Ready CDC (Solomon’s Court), and the Latin American Community Center (Early Childhood Education Center), and many more.

Looking ahead, the President of Be Ready CDC, and current Vice President of the West Side Grows Together Steering Committee, Emmanuel DeShields said, “The next 10 years will create more areas of inclusion, enhanced energy, and commitment. It will create an increased willingness to advocate, to stand, speak for, and represent those that cannot. Surely, this collaboration is connecting neighborhoods, rebuilding parks and playgrounds, supporting local businesses, quilting diverse cultures, repairing homes and building affordable housing, but more importantly, it is weaving a bonded thread that is strengthening and empowering the spirit of a people. After all, it is neighbors that make a neighborhood and they are the real impetus for its revitalization.”

The Steering Committee for West Side Grows Together includes residents of the West Side and representatives from the following organizations: 5th District Neighborhood Planning Council, 7th District Neighborhood Planning Council, Be Ready CDC, Cool Spring/Tilton Neighborhood Association, Cornerstone West CDC, Dominican Cafe, Peter Spencer Family Life Foundation, Delaware Center for Horticulture, Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center, Latin American Community Center, Mother African Union Church, Ms. Joy’s Hair Boutique, Nemours, St. Anthony's of Padua Parish, St. Francis Hospital, St. Paul's Church, West End Neighborhood House, Westside Community Action Coalition, Westside Family Healthcare, Westside Neighborhood Coalition, Woodlawn Library, Woodlawn Trustees, and WSFS. Cornerstone West CDC serves as the fiscal agent and backbone. 

This West Side Plan Update would not be possible without the support of Healthy Communities Delaware and Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic - Transforming Community Initiative, as well as dozens of partners, funders, and champions. 

Members of the West Side Grows Together Steering Committee meet over an Implementation Working Session at Be REady Church to strategize on the next steps for implementing the update the West Side Plan