Since last year, Open Streets Wilmington has partnered with Urban Bike Project, West Side Grows Together, corporate sponsors, and the city of Wilmington to shut down city streets to vehicular traffic for residents to walk, bike, dance, or socialize.
Open Streets is a national initiative to improve the quality of life of city residents by bringing people together in public spaces.
Open Streets Wilmington co-organizer Starr Wilson of Cornerstone West Community Development Corporation, said they hope the project will encourage community members to meet each other, as well as inspire a reimagination of public space for other community activities.
Once a month, Open Streets Wilmington events close neighborhood streets for three hours so people can use the street for their recreational interests. Local businesses and organizations are invited to set up tables to introduce their services and activities to visitors.
Saturday’s August Open Streets event closed 4th Street between Union Street and Greenhill Avenue. There were many vendors along the road including, project collaborator, the Urban Bike Project, which fixed bikes and scooters for free. True Access Capital provided information about local Black-owned businesses and services for small businesses, and the Food Bank of Delaware offered produce kits for free while DJ Timdogg played music.
Michael Beltran, president of the Roberto Clemente Baseball League said the event “had a whole bunch of kids and a lot of people just having fun and smiling and having a good time and great music.”
Not only did sales at his group’s concession stand raise funds for the organization that gets kids age 4 to 18 into baseball, but according to Beltran, the experience gave league participants an opportunity to learn about services offered by different organizations.
“The main point for us to do something today was to show that there’s different vendors of different organizations that are doing things, as well.” Beltran said. He said it is important for kids to understand that they have opportunities outside of baseball.
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Open Streets Wilmington 2022 continues on Sept. 17 at Delaware Avenue, between Union Street and Brinkle Avenue, and wraps up on Oct. 15 at Baynard Boulevard between 18th Street and Concord Avenue.
Contact reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com or 302-379-5786. Become a subscriber to access more stories and the best in local reporting.
