Message to area residents: Get involved

Spokane’s neighborhood councils do everything from organizing trash cleanups, cleaning up graffiti and hosting local get-togethers to influencing city decisions about parks and development and taking action to improve pedestrian safety.

And they could use some more help.

Spokane’s Office of Neighborhood Services and neighborhood council leaders are urging residents to get involved.

The Office of Neighborhood Services is pushing for more participation on the councils with a new series of public service announcements in local publications and on television and radio. The message: “You don’t have to move to live in a better neighborhood.”

“We have quite a few who are participating, and I’m thankful for that, but we will always welcome new people,” said Joy Hart, chairwoman of the East Central Neighborhood Council. “The more people we have involved, the more effective we can be.”

The East Central Neighborhood Council has been active commenting on Washington state Department of Transportation plans for a new freeway interchange there to eventually accommodate the North Spokane Corridor and is currently planning for a fall neighborhood cleanup.

Spokane has 27 neighborhood councils, with some, like the Northwest Neighborhood Council, sprawling over large swaths of diverse city blocks, and others, like Peaceful Valley, looking out for small, distinct neighborhoods.

Some councils might see as many as 50 to 90 people at a meeting while others have about a dozen dedicated members.

All are accomplishing important work, said Jonathan Mallahan, acting director of the Office of Neighborhood Services.

In the Northwest Neighborhood, the neighborhood council was instrumental in the Spokane Parks Department’s decision about where to locate a new pool.

Vice-chairman Victor Frazier said the council is also acting as a watchdog on city plans to build a sports complex at Joe Albi Stadium and has actively worked to encourage a city parks land swap and easement with Fairmount Cemetery to provide access between the stadium and Aubrey L. White Parkway and Riverside State Park.

“I think we’ve been pretty influential on that front,” Frazier said.