Here’s a quick look back at our many accomplishments before we jump into a new year and new challenges
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY INITIATIVES
Hickory Street Safety Measures and Emerson Academy Parking and Traffic Plan
- HSPI worked with City of Dayton traffic engineers and neighbors to implement a safety plan for Hickory Street to slow traffic and reduce accidents. We now have a stop sign, a school crosswalk, and a second speed hump.
- Emerson Academy, HSPI and the City of Dayton have been working towards a parking and traffic design to reduce congestion and neighbors’ frustrations during school pickup/dropoff hours. The City and Emerson are moving ahead on a plan to reroute Emerson-bound car traffic to Buckeye Street.
Wayne Avenue Traffic Safety Coalition (WATSC)
- Galvanized by the 12/28/22 pedestrian fatality at Wayne and Clover, South Parkers organized a Coalition of Wayne neighbors and businesses to work with the City. The goal is to slow traffic on Wayne Ave thus improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. We now have a speed camera, a painted crosswalk and a forthcoming ODOT funded traffic study. We hope to reduce speed along our historic business corridor to 25 MPH, among other things.
Operation Sunoco: Reducing Crime
- We organized a group of Wayne Avenue stakeholders (businesses, neighborhood associations, schools) to address crime, drugs, and loitering associated with both Wayne Avenue Sunocos. In response to our efforts, Dayton Police formed a task force that reduced crime to a great degree. We continue to work with the RTA, Dayton Police, Dayton Mediation, and Housing Inspection for further solutions.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
A new playground: HSPI advocated with City of Dayton Public Works to add Blommel Park to the list of city parks getting new playground equipment. At their request, we surveyed South Park for the top 3 choices of the 8 they were exploring.
STEWARDSHIP OF OUR SPACE
- When the South Park Urban Garden had to move from its original location at Nathan, HSPI helped them lease public land in Burns/Jackson Park and receive funding through the City of Dayton Mini-Grant program. Go SPUG!
- Thank you to all who took part in our Earth Day Neighborhood Clean-up in coordination with Living City. We removed one and a half tons of trash from our alleys and streets.
- Our Parks Committee spent another year beautifying South park: volunteer teams planted, weeded, watered, removed litter and mulched; and of course hung Christmas lights.
- The HSPI Housing Committee remains active in its work with City of Dayton Housing Inspection. This year, they tackled 45 nuisance properties and their associated crime, illegal dumping in alleys and any abandoned buildings left open to the elements and vagrancy.
OUTREACH BEYOND SOUTH PARK
- Shakespeare in South Park’s 14th production: A Midsummer Night’s Dream enjoyed record attendance!
- South Park Murder Mystery Home Tour: Sold out again in its second year!
OUTREACH TO NEIGHBORS
Volunteers kept our social life going, introducing neighbors to one another and entertaining families. Thank you to everyone that made it happen, both organizing and attending! Here is our typical calendar of events.
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT NEWS
735 Wayne Avenue (formerly the Blommel Sign building at Buckeye/Wayne)
In December, the owner notified HSPI of their plans for 735 Wayne to clean up and stabilize the building which has been vacant for many years. This is the first stage of renovation. Tentatively, the building will house up to 3 businesses in years to come.
Liberty School at Wayne/Wyoming
After receiving the first drawings for the school building to be built at Wayne and Wyoming, HSPI met with the architect, talked with City staff and consulted with the Landmark Commission so we could help them rework the design to better complement a historic district and improve traffic flow. They used our input to create this new design.
Everything we do is made possible by volunteers like you!
“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience and just plain loving one another.” – Erma Bombeck