TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Residents are hopeful that the Southside Action Plan will revitalize their community.
Talethia Edwards is a community advocate who lives on the Southside.
She is proud to live on the southside, but doesn't want the conditions to be the defining factor of her neighborhood.
"That most times means the disparities that the Southside is described by but that we have amenities, that we have places that people can sit outside and eat and that the children can play safe and people can have an affordable place to live and they can call this home without being cost burden," Edwards said.
The Southside Action Plan started in 2021 to revitalize the Southside of Tallahassee through beautification, investment, and community engagement.
City of Tallahassee commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox believes this plan will help transform the area and those who live there.
"Those are things that we're trying to re-imagine to make sure that we're doing all that we can to make sure that the quality of life and that we're having an impact on the quality of life and the impact on poverty," Williams-Cox said.
Some things they're re-imagining are the fair grounds, new businesses, affordable housing, a new park, a bus station on the Southside, and more.
"There's a number of blueprint projects that are taking place. A number of CRA projects that include sidewalks, infrastructure, streetscaping and all those kinds of things to help bring the beautification of our neighborhoods up," Williams-Cox said.
There are 31 Blueprint projects totaling over $300 million and 18 of those will be in the southside.
One of those projects is the Magnolia Trail, which should be done by the end of summer.
However, Edwards wishes more could happen sooner.
"I wish the economic impact piece would actually come a little bit quicker because we could really benefit from some economic booms here in the Southside," Edwards said.
She thinks that people often forget how long bigger projects can take.
Williams-Cox reminds residents to stay engaged and be patient.
"The sun is shining on the Southside and a lot of projects are happening throughout the Southside so we're very excited about that," Williams-Cox said.
You can stay updated on the upcoming projects in the Southside by visiting the Southside Action Plan at Talgov.com/Southside or by clicking here.
