On today’s episode Radio Regent’s host David Wall presents interviews with safety working group members Lloyd Pike and Ines Garcia. Both Lloyd and Ines are long-time activist in various resident groups that span many years of personal commitment.

The goal of the Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP) is to create an inclusive and cohesive Regent Park. The Regent Park SDP revolves around four major priority areas (Communication, Safety, Employment and Economic Development and Community Building) each led by a working group comprised of residents, agencies and grass roots groups. In this Regent Park TV episode, learn more about the SDP Safety Working Group.

The Safety committee works on a regular basis performing safety audits, as in the state of the lighting around the buildings, whether or not the CCT cameras are working, and the shape of the grounds. The Safety committee does not however get involved with any shootings or criminal activity; their scope is primarily concerned with the safety of residents as it relates to how residents move in and out of the buildings.

Lloyd Pike who is blind, also attends to the issues around accessibility, are there ramps at the entranceways of buildings, are sidewalks smooth and in good repair?  

According Lloyd and Ines, safety encompasses a much broader view, it’s about kids being able to play in safety, it’s about knowing who is in and out of the community, safety is about looking out for one another and ensure that the community can grow and prosper.

Regent Park has always been a place where the residents have mobilized to address issues of concern. Ines Garcia recounts that before the revitalization she started tea parties in the lobby of her building. The tea parties acted as a way of engaging residents in what was going on. Ines would bring pamphlets and other news, and there would be representatives from maintenance, or the TCHC, and anyone who was actively involved in the community.  The tea parties were a way of “reclaiming our space.”

Going further with the broader implications of community safety, the Safety Working groups has organized a series of work shops informing area residents on subjects such as, mental health, overdose prevention, anxiety in youths and adults, know your legal rights, financial literacy, back to basics, Grieving: the unspoken journey, accessibility for the visually impaired, Black History, Anti Black Racism, and Youth Gang Prevention Strategies.

Regent Park residents groups are extremely involved in every facet of the community and have been that way since the very beginnings.