City of Gastonia creates neighborhood program to build relationship with residents

The city of Gastonia wants to build closer relationships with residents by creating a neighborhood program.

The Alliance for Community Enrichment program allows residents to become a recognized community within the city, which offers city staff member attendance at neighborhood meetings, free meeting spaces and neighborhood beautification. 

"We want more resident engagement and to get into the communities to better understand the desires of residents," said Tyler Davis, the city's neighborhood program administrator. 

The program brings all the city's resources into play whether it's law enforcement, the fire departments, solid waste or anything in between, according to Davis, who will lead the program. 

The community liaison offered to the communities within the city will be a city employee who will keep a close relationship with a recognized community.

Free spaces such as city-owned recreational centers, churches and more will be offered to communities for meeting places. 

The program also has a partnership with Keep Gastonia Beautiful to lend a hand with beautification services to a community upon request. 

"We want to do everything we can to enhance the quality of life of our residents," said Davis. 

Davis says the idea came about in the city's 2021-2023 Strategic Plan to help alleviate confusion about city policies and offer residents opportunities to become more involved with the city. 

Davis hopes to bring matching grants to the program in the future to award community members who have been a part of the program for nine months to a year. 

"After seeing their commitment, I'd like to use grants for funding of projects that would benefit their community like neighborhood sign updates or hosting events to bring the neighborhood together," said Davis. 

A community must become a recognized community to receive the benefits of the program. 

Residents can apply online to become a recognized community now at the cityofgastonia.com. 

Reach Janiya Winchester at 704-869-1842 or jwinchester@gannett.com