PAPA Celebrates Fairfield Enhancements
October 2014

Neighborhoods along the Fairfield corridor recently celebrated more improvements to their area. The Packard Area Planning Alliance (PAPA), which is a coalition of seven near southwest neighborhood associations, dedicated 92 street trees and 73 ornamental lights along the Fairfield corridor on October 23, 2014.

The trees are being planted along Fairfield Ave. from Creighton Ave. to Rudisill Blvd. The trees and the lights together create a welcoming path from downtown into south Fort Wayne. The trees will not only beautify Fairfield Ave., they will also help reduce erosion, clean the air, provide habitat for wildlife, cut heating and cooling costs, and help restore some of our city's tree canopy lost to storms and pests.

And there's more than just lights and trees – the corridor is being renewed with façade grants for places like the Boys and Girls Club, Bushey's and Brian Schaper's Fairfield Shoppes. The City has also made street improvements along Fairfield by creating a center turn lane. Many others have invested in this important corridor, including the Lutheran Foundation, Dan Swartz of Wunderkammer, SAFY and Biggs Development with the Courtyard apartments, along with other businesses and homeowners.

The enthusiastic dedication of area residents is making the Fairfield corridor revitalization possible – the neighbors have rolled up their sleeves and worked tirelessly alongside the City in order to see the improvements take shape. Their work is all part of a strategic effort to enhance the near southwest side of Fort Wayne. Beginning in late 2003, members of PAPA began working on a Community Development Area Plan, or CDAP. The CDAP was approved by City Council in 2005 and the City and neighborhood residents have been working to implement the strategies and goals of the plan since then.

To read more about PAPA and local CDAPs, visit www.fwcommunitydevelopment.org/area-plans.