PRESS RELEASES - JUNE 2007

June 01, 2007

June is Neighborhood Month in Arlington
Matching Grants, Neighborhood Academy Graduation Highlight Activities

June is Neighborhood Month in Arlington. For the next 30 days, the City of Arlington will celebrate neighborhoods by growing partnerships, awarding matching grant funds and recognizing the graduates of the 2007 Arlington Neighborhood Academy.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, June 7, four neighborhood organizations will begin collecting grant funds for improvement projects in their communities. These groups will share an estimated $19,194 made possible by the city’s new Neighborhood Matching Grants program. Award announcements and grant presentations on June 7 will occur in the Council Briefing Room at City Hall following a reception and a parade of neighborhood exhibits.

The Briarhill Neighborhood Association will get $7,500 for streetscape repair and landscaping. The Heart of Arlington Neighborhood Association will get $8,210 for new street toppers and the Rolling Hills Neighborhood Association will get $2,984 for new neighborhood entrance signage and landscaping. A $500 matching grant will go to the Arlington Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, East Arlington Renewal and Arlington ISD for a neighborhood art scholarship for youths.

“Identity and the presence of a sense of community builds civic pride,” said Deputy City Manager of Neighborhoods Gilbert Perales. “The Arlington Strong Neighborhood Initiative is guiding the city to partner, revitalize and celebrate neighborhood successes.”

During Neighborhood Month, the City of Arlington will recognize the 2007 graduates of the Arlington Neighborhood Academy. The graduation will begin at 6 p.m. in the Council Briefing Room on Thursday, June 28. Approximately 40 adults and 15 youths completed service projects and four weeks of classroom style instruction on leadership, organization, municipal government and civic engagement.

“Throughout the month, we will continue to strengthen our partnerships with city departments, neighborhood organizations and business owners,” said Neighborhood Coordinator R.J. Blair. “We will work more closely with neighborhood groups who are interested in our grants program and want to deploy new ways to reinvigorate their neighborhood.”

For more information about Neighborhood Month: Visit www.arlingtontx.gov/ASNI . Contact R.J. Blair at 817-459-6104 or e-mail rj.blair@arlingtontx.gov.