CINCINNATI — Community leaders and city officials gathered Saturday at the Cintas Center at Xavier University on Saturday to plan for the future.
The annual neighborhood summit gathers each year to tackle issues and determine solutions throughout Cincinnati's 52 communities. This year, the 17th annual summit focused on the topic of resiliency.
"It is a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas, to learn," said David Mann, Cincinnati Councilmember.
The theme and discussion of the meeting focused around strong people and strong neighborhoods.
"We can have a day like today, and people walk away feeling a little more hopeful, seeing that things can change, seeing that people are willing to work together," said Elizabeth Bartley, executive director of Invest in Neighborhoods, a nonprofit that works to bolster Cincinnati communities.
Representatives and leaders from communities throughout Cincinnati came together to bounce ideas off one another and learn from each others' experiences. The overall goal is to learn and grow Cincinnati neighborhoods together.
"On one level, I'm able to impart kind of what we do as an agency around the 52 communities," said Daniel Betts, director of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission. "But, I also get so much information about what we're not doing and what are some of the disconnects."
Community members say the annual conference helps provide fresh ideas, and inspires the energy needed to turn those ideas into reality.
