KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo neighbors are meeting at neighborhood schools and community centers to help shape their city's future through 2035, participating in interactive planning sessions to identify priorities for their communities.
I attended one of these meetings at the Woodward School, where neighbors used stickers and Post-it notes to highlight what matters most to them. Things like pedestrian safety and housing came up often.
"I think it's really nice to come into a place and find at least a handful of your neighbors or people you know, and be surprised about it," said Staci Gibson, a Kalamazoo neighbor who attended the Stuart neighborhood meeting.
The sessions are part of Imagine Kalamazoo 2035, the city's master planning process that seeks input from residents across all neighborhoods.
"We're asking people questions like, 'Where do you shop? And how do you get there? Are you able to meet your daily needs in your neighborhood?'" said Christina Anderson, a city planner with Kalamazoo.
Stephanie Watkins, president of the Oakland Drive Windchill Neighborhood Association, has called her neighborhood home for 15 years. She emphasized the importance of inclusive community input.
"I think one of the most important parts is that every voice is being heard. And I think that is something the City of Kalamazoo is pushing really hard for this 10 year master plan," Watkins said.
Watch Julie Dunmire's video story below:
The city is hosting approximately 15 meetings through mid-March, with attendance ranging from 30 to 60 people per session.
Green space emerged as a common theme. Watkins highlighted underutilized natural areas in her community.
"So, within our neighborhood, there are these little, we call them pocket parks. They're small green spaces, technically city parks, owned by the City of Kalamazoo. But they basically don't have any amenities, and they're basically just a green square of land. Those places are open residents for the entire City of Kalamazoo, and open to our entire neighborhood, but even people who have lived here for decades, don't even know they exist," Watkins said.
Both Gibson and Watkins said the effort to attend weeknight meetings is worthwhile for community engagement.
"This is absolutely a great moment to dream big. It can seem like a dark world out there right now, so I'm excited to be someplace thinking about possibilities for the future," Gibson said.
The next community meeting is scheduled for February 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the Milwood neighborhood.
The City of Kalamazoo's full "Imagine Kalamazoo" information can be found here.
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