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TAKING BACK THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD–
Block by Block
How small neighbourhood changes are having a big impact
Above: Gillian Benoit-Gonzalez, centre, with her children Emma Lee and Evan.
As Gillian Benoit Benoit-Gonzalez is a member a summer market with the Ford
Gonzalez walks of the Ford City Residents City Business Improvement
the Ford City in Action Committee – a Association (BIA), and a
neighbourhood with group of volunteers who are fireworks celebration, which
her two kids, she working together to revitalize attracted over 2,000 people
can point out both their neighbourhood. Over last year.
visible and invisible the last few years, she points
signs that things are out that residents and artists “People are going to remember
a-changin’. have painted out graffiti and the neighbourhood positively
replaced it with murals, a small instead of the stereotype that
act which has encouraged was from before,” she says about
residents to keep alleyways the fireworks celebration.
clean. The Residents’ Committee
has also cobbled together the Less noticeably, but much
resources to put on four annual more importantly, these small
neighbourhood events, including acts have had an energizing
effect on local residents.
14 | Magazine of United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County • Winter 2016 • Vol. 4
TAKING BACK THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD–
Block by Block
How small neighbourhood changes are having a big impact
Above: Gillian Benoit-Gonzalez, centre, with her children Emma Lee and Evan.
As Gillian Benoit Benoit-Gonzalez is a member a summer market with the Ford
Gonzalez walks of the Ford City Residents City Business Improvement
the Ford City in Action Committee – a Association (BIA), and a
neighbourhood with group of volunteers who are fireworks celebration, which
her two kids, she working together to revitalize attracted over 2,000 people
can point out both their neighbourhood. Over last year.
visible and invisible the last few years, she points
signs that things are out that residents and artists “People are going to remember
a-changin’. have painted out graffiti and the neighbourhood positively
replaced it with murals, a small instead of the stereotype that
act which has encouraged was from before,” she says about
residents to keep alleyways the fireworks celebration.
clean. The Residents’ Committee
has also cobbled together the Less noticeably, but much
resources to put on four annual more importantly, these small
neighbourhood events, including acts have had an energizing
effect on local residents.
14 | Magazine of United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County • Winter 2016 • Vol. 4
