Council Hears Positive Update About West Central In/Around: West Central

Residents of the West Central neighborhood told Spokane City Council members Monday night that volunteers, government programs and cooperation have made a real difference in their neighborhood.

West Central was host to the City Council meeting and used the forum to update officials on the myriad of programs and activities now in place.

Just four years ago, residents complained of being ignored by the Police Department and abandoned by City Hall. Neighborhood leaders held a series of meetings to organize volunteers and lobby the city and state for more assistance.

Community policing, better code enforcement, earlier help for juveniles, and a bevy of resident volunteers was among the results.

Monday night, the City Council was told:

That a committee formed to deal with problems at A.M. Cannon Park has not met for lack of work.

That a neighborhood drug house was closed down by determined neighbors.

That students at Holmes and Audubon schools are developing a mentoring program

That neighbors have effectively chased a youth gang elsewhere.

“They moved on to another neighborhood, and we apologize to that neighborhood and we will help them deal with it,” said Cheryl Steele, a West Central resident who coordinates the city’s community policing program.

Although there still are problems - youth violence remains a major concern - police officer Tim Conley said the successes are a result of unprecedented cooperation among volunteers, the schools, state and local governments as well as police.

“It’s not ‘I did it’; it’s ‘we did it’ and ‘what can we do to help.”’ said Conley, who is serving as resource officer for the neighborhood.

The parade of programs brought praise from the council - even from Councilman Joel Crosby, who has criticized government spending on social programs.

“There’s a real anti-government sentiment, and what I see happening at the West Central Community Center goes against that,” Crosby said.

“There’s a real improvement in people’s life because of what you’ve done here. It’s working.”

, DataTimes