KENT, Wash. — The city of Kent has launched a new program to improve neighborhoods and tackle issues residents have been seeing.
Ever since the city announced its new "Kent Walks" program in the spring residents started commenting on the city's Facebook post. Some said they were scared to walk around in their own neighborhoods, and others said they felt like their neighborhood had been forgotten or neglected.
Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said she is hoping to change this with the new program.
City staff, including the mayor, public works, police, code enforcement and parks employees, will be out in neighborhoods walking in specific areas to address and fix issues residents are seeing. The idea of the program is to get city staff out and about to communicate face to face with residents about the problems their neighborhoods are facing. Some of these issues will even be fixed on site.
Kent's mayor said the best way to do this is to be present.
"I want to see and experience what's going on in each and every one of our neighborhoods," said Ralph.
"What are the things that they like? What are the things that are problems? Are there potholes or traffic issues that they are concerned with? Problem houses? But it's an opportunity for myself and some key players in all of our departments to have those one-on-one conversations with neighbors," she continued.
The first walk at Saltair Hills in the West Hill area of Kent was originally planned for this month but was canceled due to weather and will be rescheduled. City staff will also visit the Misty Meadows neighborhood on East Hill on August 14 at 6 p.m. and the North Scenic Hill neighborhood on September 10 at 6 p.m.
If you think your neighborhood could use some help from the city, you can email Toni Azzola at TAzzola@kentwa.gov.