The Mount Washington Alliance invites members of the community to submit entries for a crowd-sourced “Quality of Life” contest. (File photograph)
Residents of Haverhill’s Mount Washington neighborhood are hoping to transform their community this summer through a crowd-sourced “Quality of Life” contest.
As the neighborhood reels from the May 17 drive-by shooting of 20-year-old Nike Colon, the Mount Washington Alliance seeks entries for their contest, which will afford three entrants the opportunity to fund a “summer project” to better the community.
Residents who live or work in Mount Washington and over 16 (within boundaries outlined in the application map) are invited to submit proposals for how to best boost neighborhood morale over the summer, with winners receiving $1,500 to put their plan into action. Entries must be submitted no later than Thursday, June 7 and collaboration at the Wednesday “Neighbor Night” event is allowed.
As a starting point, organizer Christine Soundara suggested a possible idea of a neighborhood cleanup to WHAV.
“Some of the topics brought up at our Neighbor Nights were about safety. One idea is about drugs and needles in the park, collaborating with community partners and residents to do a neighborhood drug and needles cleanup day,” she said. “The whole point is that residents are working together to bring their ideas to life and improve the quality of the neighborhood.”
Finalists selected by the Alliance will present their proposals during a pitch contest on Monday, June 25, before three winners are chosen. Winning ideas will be implemented by Labor Day.
For more information or to submit an entry, visit MountWashingtonAlliance.org.