Merced Downtown Neighborhood Association seeks input

A roughly 2-month-old group is looking for people from around Merced to get involved with efforts to revitalize downtown neighborhoods.

To that end, and to drum up support, the Downtown Neighborhood Association, or DNA, plans an open meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the home of an association member, 362 W. 22nd St.

Kay Alcorn, 57, a member of the association, said the group looks to build a community spirit that will be harmonious with downtown businesses.

The meeting will be a place for ideas, Alcorn said, stressing that people who live anywhere in Merced are welcome to come and express their opinions. Those who come will be asked to rank their concerns in a short survey about public safety, marketing, cleanup and other public services.

“We just really encourage people to bring ideas and concerns,” she said. “This is a community-based project.”

Alcorn, who has lived downtown for 30 years, said the association has agreed on boundaries that include Bear Creek on the north and west sides, 16th Street on the south and Glen Avenue on the east. She said the boundaries give the association a baseline, but there’s room for expansion or other changes.

“We want to get this started and see what happens,” she said.

The association’s initial plans are what it’s dubbed the “ABCs” – advocacy, beautification and community engagement.

With the arrival, and now 10th year, of UC Merced, the city is poised for growth and betterment, she said. It will take a consorted effort from residents, business owners and elected officials to make sure that growth happens. “It’s a great town, but it’s had some challenges,” she said.

The downtown is up against a perception that is not necessarily warranted. An Alliance for Community Research and Development survey about downtown conducted in 2013 found UC Merced students said they want to see “safety, security and beautification” in the downtown, which they called a “scary” place.

That’s a perception many residents and business owners have fought. Showing that the perception is untrue would surely work in both their favors.

Daniel Kazakos, the president of the Main Street Association, said his organization and DNA are two separate entities. But, he stressed, the success of the two associations is intertwined.

“We’re both very much interested in the success of the downtown,” he said. “We have to approach them together in one cohesive front.”

For information on the meeting, email Alcorn at kayalcorn@comcast.net.

This story was originally published April 27, 2015 at 8:09 PM with the headline "Merced Downtown Neighborhood Association seeks input."