CHRC SUPPORTS THE WESTWOOD RESIDENTS ACTION!

CHRC stands 100% in support of this effort.  

November 1, 2013

Westwood neighbors join voices: "Westwood is welcoming to all" Resident Nikki Mayhew reads from the petition at Town Hall, while a throng of people behind her show their support. Photo: Amy Tang Amy Tang A group of fifty Westwood residents gathered at Town Hall Wednesday evening, pledging to build Westwood's reputation as “a neighborhood of civility and diversity.” The event was a grassroots response to racist statements posted by a local on Facebook targeting Cincinnati City Councilmember Yvette Simpson. Residents also started an online petition to reinforce the community’s attitude, and successfully collected over 350 signatures within 3 days. They are seeking 150 more signers. “We are here today to change the conversation about Westwood,” local resident Nikki Pierson Mayhew said in the meeting, which was attended by Councilmember Laure Quinlivan and Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls. LISC’s director, Kathy Schwab, endorsed the community's petition as an advocate for the power of residents coming together around a common vision for their neighborhood. A welcoming, artistic community Westwood, the largest Cincinnati neighborhood, wants to be known as inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all viewpoints. They were one of the first pilot communities to adopt form-based code in Cincinnati. As part of implementing the code, the community formed a coalition engage Westwood residents during the code implementation process. They envisioned Westwood Square and the creation of a Family Arts District to preserve and develop Westwood as a culturally rich and inclusive neighborhood. The Square will be home to a public library, a K-12 school, two churches, the Westwood Town Hall, a regional performing arts center, and a pedestrian-friendly retail area. The performing arts center will begin operations in early 2014, run by the Madcap Puppets Theatre.  LISC is helping make that vision a reality by supporting a baseline study to steer the development of the Westwood Square vision plan with $3,500 in April of this year. The study will create a method of monitoring the short- and long-term impact of an arts institution on the socioeconomic landscape in Westwood.  Sign the petition