- The Greater Bond Neighborhood won 2nd Place in Neighborhoods USA's 'Neighborhood of the Year' Awards.
- Several improvements to the neighborhood earned it recognition for physical revitalization and beautification.
- Watch the video to hear from Bond neighbors about what this accomplishment means to them.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Spirits are high in the Greater Bond Neighborhood following a recent national award.
Wileen Footman, Member of Greater Bond Community Action Team - "We are starting to see the fruits of our labor and that's the beauty of it."
I'm neighborhood reporter Kenya Cardonne in Southwest Tallahassee, digging into what it took to place in the Neighborhood of the Year Awards.
Footman - "It's great to see things happening in our neighborhood, but it's even greater to know that people know that things are taking place in our neighborhood to make it better for the residents."
Greater Bond neighbor Wileen Footman tells me she couldn't be prouder of her neighborhood after it won second place in Neighborhoods USA's 'Neighborhood of the Year Awards."
The award was judged off physical revitalization and beautification, something Footman tells me has been the goal of multiple projects standing here today, such as the enhancements of Speed-Spencer-Stephens Park and the Housing Facade Grant program, awarding neighbors money to renovate their home's exterior and front yard.
Footman - "We've also had some streets redone, we had some lights put up, some light poles put up, I mean we have the linear park now.."
Dr. Vanessa Williams, President of Greater Bond Neighborhood Association - "We say Greater Bond Neighborhood, but we want to make it even greater!"
President of Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, Dr. Vanessa Williams tells me she's a third generation Bond neighbor.
Dr. Williams - "If you would have came here five years ago, totally different, it's growing. We got new homes coming up, neighbors are talking to each other."
She says she's inspired by the improvements, adding they are not only necessary for the current state of the neighborhood, but more importantly for the future.
Dr. Williams - "...and even our children, they need to see that. They need to see the love in us, they need to see the compassion in us, they need to see the neighborly in us. That way, they can carry it on into the next generation."
More is yet to come. Neighbors say adding more affordable housing options is next in the plan of revitalizing the neighborhood.
In Southwest Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27
