Neighborhood resiliency - Questions for the neighborhood

When we were developing the Prospect Park Climate Action Plan, we asked for and received a lot of feedback on what went into it.  One suggestion was to include language on neighborhood adaptability and resiliency, as well as sustainability.

I thought it was a good idea, but I really didn't have any solid ideas around what it meant.   I was focused on our energy reduction initiative.  Vaguely I thought that we might eventually look at helping the most at-risk residents cope with extreme heat or cold.  Maybe encourage more rain gardens and permeable driveways as sewer systems got overwhelmed.

A pandemic never occurred to me.  Rioting and looting never occurred to me.  Confronting racism did not occur to me.

When the corona virus appeared, we cancelled the kickoff and put the energy reduction initiative on the back burner (no pun intended).    At our environment committee meetings, we discussed the need to pivot and focus on building neighborhood resiliency.  But what does that mean exactly?

One definition is that community resiliency is the "ability to use available resources to respond to, withstand and recover from adverse situations."

Good communication is key to our ability to respond.  Not just the logistical aspects of knowing who and how to contact folks, but also listening and sharing with neighbors.

In order to withstand and recover from adversity, we need compassion - for others and for ourselves.  Life is hard for everyone.  But what form should our compassion take?

We need to be inclusive.  Prospect Park has a unique challenge in our geography.  Folks think of Prospect Park as Tower Hill, East River Parkway, South of Franklin, Bridal Veil Falls and Glendale.  But Motley is part of the neighborhood, as is North of University and 4th Street and Stadium Village.  I grew up in Prospect Park and returned in 2003 and yet I didn't know this until last year.  Each of these sub-neighborhoods has unique demographics.

How do we include everyone?

One last question - what are we missing?  What else do we need to consider while we reinforce neighborhood resiliency?

Please send us your thoughts and comments.   (Comments can be added right below this post.) Thanks!

Mary Britton

PPA Environment Committee Chair