CanyonCorridorSpring2015

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CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION | 5
Councilman Danny Valenzuela:
District 5
Q: What’s going on in your district that will
embrace and help transform the Canyon
Corridor this year?
A: Keeping our residents safe, growing
our economy and strengthening our
neighborhoods continue to be our top
priorities. We will continue to work closely
with our neighborhood and business leaders
within the Canyon Corridor to help our
community reach its fullest potential.
This past year, the City continued our
strong partnership with Grand Canyon
University on several projects. GCU has
continued to make significant investments
in the neighborhoods surrounding the
university, including the crime safety
initiative, the graffiti abatement program and
the Learning Lounge.
Additionally, through our office we have
launched the 27th Avenue Violence Impact
Project (VIP), a multi-departmental approach
to combatting crime and revitalizing the
corridor. Through this project we will focus
City time and resources to the neighborhoods
along 27th Avenue, between Indian School
Road and Dunlap Road.
Q: How can citizens participate in discussions at
the City level?
A: Community input is not just a box that is
checked—an informed, engaged community
is a healthy, resilient community. There are
many ways we encourage Canyon Corridor
residents to get involved. Sign up for the
District 5 newsletter by visiting
phoenix.gov/district5 or call our office at
602-262-7446. Additionally, Canyon Corridor
is home to many of the City's most active
neighborhood associations and block watches.
We encourage you to become involved
with them as well. Finally, residents may
visit phoenix.gov to view a full calendar
of City meetings including City Council,
council subcommittee and village planning
committee. If you are unable to attend these
meetings but would like to provide input,
please email:
to contact
my office. All City Council meetings can also
be viewed live online. We look forward to
hearing from you.
FORMORE INFORMATION:
Councilman Danny Valenzuela
Twitter: @daniel4phoenix
phoenix.gov/district5 | 602-262-7446
Councilwoman Laura Pastor: District 4
Q: What’s going on in your district that will
embrace and help transform the Canyon Corridor
this year?
A: First and foremost, tohave a prosperousCanyon
Corridor, it is imperative that public safety,
education and economic development are
cornerstones of our communitymoving forward.
For example, the transportation plan that
was recently passed in subcommittee with
my support will have a significant impact
on economic development in the Canyon
Corridor. Should Council pass it and voters
agree on it this August election, the light rail
will expand down Camelback Avenue to
Grand Canyon University in addition to other
northbound light rail projects. In the absence
of mass transit, many residents struggle as
they are limited to education and career
opportunities in only their immediate areas.
This plan intends to spur economic activity as
it will provide further transit access for those
seeking employment and those commuting to
and fromwork or school. Through our office,
we are also spearheading a multi-department
and multi-neighborhood initiative to clean
up blighted areas. We are pulling resources
together with police, neighborhood services
and neighborhood associations to identify
high priority blighted areas. I am confident
this collaboration will allow us to take back
these areas and institutionalize a plan in
which the neighborhoods are empowered and
supported by the City so that these areas of
blight don’t resurface.
Lastly, as chair of the education committee,
I recently approved the funding to add 188
additional head start spots for pre-Kchildren in
three school districts, one of whichwasAlhambra
Elementary School District. If we expect to
revitalize, we must have safe neighborhoods
and strong educational programs to attract new
residents andbusinesses.
Q: How can citizens participate in discussions at
the City level?
A: There are several ways citizens can participate
in discussions at the City level:
1. Send your questions or concerns to the
Mayor and Council directly. You can find
each Councilmember’s contact information
by visiting phoenix.gov/MayorCouncil
2. Contact City staff by making direct contact
with the city departments. You can find a
listing at phoenix.gov/departments
3. Attend and/or follow the progress of the
Council and subcommittee meetings. Agendas
for upcoming meetings are listed prior to the
meeting on the City’s website at: phoenix.gov/
cityclerk/publicmeetings/city-council-meetings
4. You can also watch Council meetings
directly on your computer via the City’s
homepage at phoenix.gov. All Council
meetings are also broadcast on channel 11.
FORMORE INFORMATION:
Councilwoman Laura Pastor
| 602-262-7447
phoenix.gov/district4
Cactus Park Precinct
Phoenix Police Department
Kevin Robinson, Commander
12220 N. 39th Avenue,
Phoenix, AZ 85029
For more information, visit:
phoenix.gov/police
The mission of the
Phoenix Police Department has always been to
promote healthy and vibrant neighborhoods.
Starting early March, the Phoenix Police
Department, led by the Cactus Park Precinct
and its community partners, will embark on a
neighborhood improvement program that will
focus on 27th Avenue, from Indian School Road to
Dunlap Road. Named the Black Canyon Violence
Impact Project (VIP) the program will have two goals:
1. Partner with the community to work jointly
with the police department; city council districts
1, 4 and 5; and other city departments to improve
the overall livability of the neighborhoods connected
to and affected by 27th Avenue.
2. Engage neighborhood associations, schools and
businesses in the area to work towards establishing
permanent change to ensure a better quality of life
for everyone going to school, living and working in
the area.
To meet the first goal, all stakeholders were invited
to a community meeting where the primary initiative
was discussed. This being a true partnership,
all of our planned efforts were discussed and
explained. Several community cleanups have been
scheduled and additional community meetings
have been decided upon. The premise behind VIP
is that focused work equals focused results. With
this in mind, all objectives and their corresponding
strategies and tasks, will be focused on disrupting
relationships between criminals as well as
between criminals and the locations they frequent.
In our efforts to disrupt criminal relationships, VIP
will consist of the following components:
• Coordinated neighborhood cleanups and
identification of problem locations that require
law enforcement attention
• Investigation of key locations
• Investigation of key individuals
• Enforcement operations for prostitution,
trespassing and blight
• Directed enforcement for specific criminal situations
Cactus Park
Precinct Update
Look for Police Chief
Yahner’s Interview in
the fall 2015 issue of
the Canyon Corridor
Connection Magazine