Neighbors Gather to Share Input on the Future of Meadows Park Community Center

Earlier this month, around one hundred residents joined Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Councilmembers Kimberly Gold, Nancy Henjum, and David Leinweber for a neighborhood listening and visioning session regarding the recent closure of the Meadows Park Community Center. The gathering marked an important moment for neighbors to connect, share experiences, and express hopes for how the space might continue to serve the community.

Hey Neighbor was invited by the City to support community engagement during the meeting. Our role was not to advocate for a specific outcome, but to help ensure that neighbors had a welcoming, respectful, and open space to speak and be heard. Hey Neighbor is a nonpartisan organization focused on inspiring residents to build strong, connected, and vibrant communities. In this situation, that meant helping facilitate communication between the City and neighbors during a time of change and uncertainty.

Before and during the meeting, Hey Neighbor helped set the tone for constructive conversation by creating opportunities for residents to share memories, questions, and ideas. Posters around the room invited neighbors to reflect on what the community center has meant to them, what services were most valuable, and what they would like to see in the future. Table captains supported small group conversations, allowing residents to speak directly with one another as well as with City representatives.

The City shared that feedback from the listening session, along with responses from an online survey, will be compiled into a community report in the coming weeks. Mayor Mobolade has also announced that a Solutions Team made up of community members and stakeholders will be formed next month. The team will review the feedback report and help shape recommendations for how the Meadows Park Community Center space can best serve the neighborhood moving forward.

For Hey Neighbor, the focus remains on supporting meaningful engagement. We believe that lasting, community-driven solutions begin with listening, relationship-building, and making sure neighbors have clear ways to stay informed and involved. We are grateful to everyone who showed up, shared personal stories, and demonstrated what it looks like when a community comes together to shape its future.

Neighbors who were unable to attend are encouraged to complete the survey to ensure their voices are included. The survey remains open until October 29 and can be found on the City’s website.

Hey Neighbor will continue to share updates and information as the process moves forward, and we remain committed to fostering connection and open communication every step of the way.