Whether you've lived in Spokane all your life or recently moved here, chances are you've heard the names of some neighborhoods in the city. The northeast is known for Hillyard. East Central is the gateway from Spokane Valley and communities to the east. But there are likely neighborhoods you wouldn't be able to label on a map at trivia night. "Downtown?" That's officially "Riverside." You probably know Shiloh Hills, which was only formally recognized in 2016, as the north commercial part of the city, next to the Y at Division and Newport Highway.
To get to know our city better and provide a helpful guide, we reached out to members of each of our city's 29 neighborhood councils to ask them about their neighborhood's unique qualities. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity. In this online format you’ll find more of what they had to say than we could fit in this week’s print issue.
— SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL, SECTION EDITOR
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS
Spokane's neighborhood council program officially started in 2000, after city voters created a formal program in the city charter, says Gabby Ryan, a community programs coordinator with the city's Office of Neighborhood Services."[Neighborhood councils] are volunteer-led community groups," Ryan says. "They are made up of residents, they might have business owners or people who recreate in those communities. ... Those councils work really hard to be agents of change."
Each neighborhood council also selects someone to serve as their representative to the Community Assembly, which meets once a month with city staff, City Council members and sometimes the mayor. That body can vote on resolutions to bring to the City Council, and the representatives can also take what they learn from the city back to their respective neighborhood meetings, Ryan says.
Most neighborhood councils are run by retirees and struggle to get younger community members involved, Ryan says.
"I desperately want to encourage younger people to get involved," Ryan says. "If you are 16 or older, please consider participating in the neighborhood council system. ... Many of them are desperate for somebody who wants to be a leader or help with planning events."
On Nov. 2, the city will host the second-ever Neighborhood Summit, a privately sponsored event for those already in neighborhood council leadership or who want to get more involved, says Amber Groe, another community programs coordinator for the city.
"Basically this is a half-day leadership and community engagement conference to provide technical training to our neighborhood council members across the city," Groe says. "We want to make sure these folks feel empowered and educated on how to interact with the city."
Current or aspiring neighborhood council members can register for the free event at my.spokanecity.org/neighborhoods/programs/spokane-neighborhood-summit/
The city will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the neighborhood council system with events throughout next year.
— SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL
