Millvale residents have the opportunity to shape their community's future.
The Millvale Community Library, in partnership with the borough, is conducting a community needs assessment to learn how to best address residents' wishes for the area.
Surveys distributed to residents will include questions focused on the following: affordable housing, community safety and environment, mobility and accessibility, food access, individual economic development and youth and families.
Mallory Womble, Millvale Community Library board member and needs assessment co-coordinator, said responses build upon others, with survey completion times ranging from 5 to 15 minutes. All responses remain anonymous once submitted, she said.
Volunteers started distributing the questionnaires April 29 at The Millvale Environment & Health Fair. In May and June, two paid data collection captains, along with volunteers, will start traveling door-to-door to question citizens.
“This is a small community. And a lot of people really do know each other and have deep ties here — that's one of the reasons why it was important for us to hire residents and get as many residents involved in this as we can. We're hoping that trust and faith will get people to answer those questions.”
For safety reasons, those administering the surveys door-to-door will wear identification badges, register with the borough and police department and travel in pairs.
Targeted mail and online campaigns will then reach those who have not completed the surveys by July, Womble said.
Over the summer, the data collection captains will organize a few family-friendly block parties, featuring games, refreshments and music, in different neighborhoods to encourage residents to come out and complete the assessments. Raffles for both survey-takers and volunteers also may incentivize the process.
“We're really just trying to figure out ways to go to community events, door-to-door and just find people where they are and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to have their voice and opinion heard.”
Womble said she and co-coordinator Brian Wolovich are hoping to obtain responses from approximately 1,500 people.
“We're hoping to get about half of the households and that's our best guess about what that would be.”
They plan on compiling a preliminary report with their findings by September.
In 1994, North Hills Community Outreach and the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities partnered with the borough to facilitate a Millvale community needs assessment.
“A number of items were identified from the process and plans were put together for the implementation of these items,” said borough Manager Amy Rockwell. “Just to name a few accomplishments, we obtained property to build a riverfront park, installed a community bike/pedestrian trail through our park and connecting to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, addressed traffic needs, built a community center and instituted a community library.”
The current Millvale community needs assessment is made possible through a Henry L. Hillman Foundation grant. GTECH Strategies' Resilience Generation initiative — funded through the Henry L. Hillman Foundation Opportunity Fund — is providing additional support.
People interested in volunteering to assist with the project do not need to reside in Millvale, but they must have current Act 33 Pennsylvania child abuse clearances to distribute surveys door-to-door. If you are interested, email millvale.cna@gmail.com.
Erica Cebzanov is a Tribune-Review contributor.
