The City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Services Department announced that $4.3 million has been dedicated to revitalization efforts in the Wedgwood East neighborhood. The city said the funding is part of a neighborhood improvement program. Residents hope the investment will bring improvements in public safety, infrastructure and commercial development.
The city scores neighborhoods using several factors, including safety and neighborhood conditions, where higher scores indicate greater challenges. Wedgwood East received a safety score of 85 out of 100. Shana Hazzard, treasurer of the Wedgwood East Neighborhood Association, said the score surprised her. She said she hears about about the same amount of crime from other areas.
Hazzard said she hopes the neighborhood's commercial district will benefit, noting that some properties on the south end are vacant or need repairs. She said the area has not seen many new businesses. Fort Worth City Council member Mia Hall, whose District 6 includes part of the neighborhood, also said she is enthusiastic about possible reinvestment in the Alta Mesa corridor and nearby commercial areas. Hazzard said other selected neighborhoods have received new streetlights, safety cameras and cleanup of illegal dumping sites, and that similar work would be welcome in Wedgwood East.