TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - "I am proud of what the City of Tallahassee is doing to now focus its attention on the southside of town", expressed City of Tallahassee Commissioner Curtis Richardson during Thursday night's meeting.
2019 is going to be a year of growth for Tallahassee's southside. It'll be the focus for many of the city's projects and initiatives
"I think the thing that's most exciting is that these projects are being done together with the neighbors and with the neighborhood," explains Ashley Edwards, City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Director, "and with their input and they are part of that process. We are working for them and with them."
Projects...like the Neighborhood Public Safety Initiative, coming soon to South City, and the Public Safety Complex, which will house the Tallahassee Police Department, to address the areas biggest complaint....crime.
"I live on the Southside, yes I do. For the past 30 years," says Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox, "and I have heard your concerns, I have been concerned and I am still concerned."
According to Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo, "As we transition and focus more resources to South City, it's really incumbent on the residents over there to take ownership of it and the same kind of pride we've seen in the Bond Community and work with, not just us, but code enforcement and neighborhood affairs on what we can all accomplish together."
Rhett Turnquest is happy to see improvements being made to an area, he feels, has been neglected in the past.
"To bring attention, to bring infrastructure back to this community, to bring in streetscapes, linear parks, gateways to that," Turnquest explains, "basically we've had development to go around the community, but what we're looking to do is connect with all that and have development in our community as well."
Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo announcing that crime in the city in 2018 was down 7% from 2017 and he credits much of that to the efforts of those who want to make Tallahassee a better place to live.
