NoHoWest Neighborhood Council set out to stay focused locally in 2017 and that is what we did. We started off with a clean up on Martin Luther King Jr. Day partnering with Councilmember Krekorian and other neighborhood councils. More than 70 volunteers were part of the clean up on Ethel Avenue between Sherman Way and Raymer. We also closed out the year with a clean up on Bellaire Ave in November. For the Bellaire clean up we did extensive outreach canvasing the neighborhood and sharing our message of civic engagement.
One of our most significant projects came to fruition in 2017 with the grand opening of the second field in the soccer complex. We were part of Councilmember Krekorian’s planning committee and provided refreshments at the opening. We continue to participate in the planning efforts for the next phase of this much needed community project which is in construction.
As part of our community outreach, we sponsored a Senior Cotillion in June which was a fun evening for seniors to come out and dance. We also sponsored the community Halloween Festival at Valley Plaza Recreation Center, creating a safe place for more than 200 ghosts, goblins and witches to enjoy the holiday.
“We have plans to make NoHoWest the Best in the West in 2018. The focus will be on outreach working within our business community to continue to make NoHoWest a business friendly area,” states NoHoWest Neighborhood Council President Carol Rose. We are also concerned about public safety and are working towards improving stop sign areas with flashing lights where residents have indicated that the signs are not very visible. One such intersection is Strathern at Bellaire. For outreach we are planning events where the community can come together, such as the MLK clean up, a movie in the park, National Night Out and more.
Our committees continue to work on land use and beautification issues and we have liaisons to the city on homeless and animal services issues. We invite local residents and business owners to bring their concerns and ideas to Board Meetings and join us on committees. This is going to a busy and successful year for NoHoWest, the Best in the West.