Bradenton's Ballard Park neighborhood celebrates taking back its community
BRADENTON -- Saturday was a special day in the little Ballard Park area of downtown Bradenton as residents who have battled crime to retake their neighborhood celebrated with the community that has rallied to support them.
The Parkside Apartments at 1515 Ninth Ave. W. was once a cold, dark place occupied by mostly drug dealers, prostitutes and thieves with a scattering of good people who had fallen on hard times. Many of those people were once homeless and simply trying to get a roof over their heads, and others barely survive on meager disability checks.
That didn't stop them from fighting back.
It all began this past Thanksgiving when Kristina Gomez, affectionately called "Mama" by the residents, extended an invitation to strangers who were hiding in their apartments from the criminal element to share in a pot-luck dinner.
Strangers became friends and friends became family. Soon, they shared a common determination to do something about their common problem.
On Saturday, the community gathered for another special pot-luck dinner to share with the community that rallied to support their fight, and honor the one man most say made the biggest difference.
Junior Baker moved in
several months ago with his wife and didn't believe he would stay long considering drug deals in the parking lot were a common sight and gunshots at night were a common sound.
Baker offered to be apartment superintendant but had one demand: "I'll clean this place up, but I'll do it my way."
Months after partnering with local law enforcement, children now play in the complex, neighbors socialize outside their apartments and the criminal element is no longer welcome.
"It's been going pretty good," said Baker. "We haven't had any trouble. People might think we do because they see the police walking through here all the time, but they are just coming to visit and play with the kids."
The neighborhood was praised by the Bradenton Police Department and Police Chief Melanie Bevan, who personally purchased new clothes for the community's children. At the time, there were 12, but since the ongoing cleanup of the complex, there are now 19, which suits Baker just fine.
"We want more families," he said. "If someone wants to move in here, and I see a mom, dad and kids in the car being polite, and the man gets out and looks me in the eye and shakes my hand, I'll do everything I can for them and so will everyone here. If they come in here and I see they are on drugs, I send them down the road. I have two rules here. I don't care what you do behind closed doors, but there are no drugs and alcohol outside where these kids are playing. If I see that, then as fast as you moved in, I'll move you out."
Since the Bradenton Herald profiled the residents retaking their neighborhood earlier this year, the Manatee County community has responded to help the low-income neighborhood achieve its goals, including raising money for a basketball hoop, picnic tables and a swing set.
For residents of Parkside, those once were lofty, almost insurmountable goals.
Donations, however, began streaming into the community.
Bill Meek and his wife donated the basketball hoop and a local church donated two new picnic tables.
Jean Green, 89, who lived through the Great Depression and understands what daily survival is about, donated toward the swing set. Ellen Parker's second-grade class at Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School in Parrish picked it up from there and began a schoolwide fundraiser. The new swing set will be delivered Thursday and Parker's class is going to schedule a visit with Parkside's children later this month.
Bayside Community Church, Home is Where the Heart Is and many others are still working with the residents making sure they have what they need.
Retired Rev. Sherry Angus said she read about the community and had to meet them.
"They did the work," said Angus. "This is a community. This is a family. They need help, but they never asked for it. People want to give but they don't like not knowing where their money is going. Here, you see where every dollar or piece of clothing goes. Just because they are low income doesn't mean they don't deserve a nice place to live."
Dr. Richard Conard also read about the community and felt compelled to meet the residents. He has been overseeing free health screenings and plans to bring the residents to the next community health outreach event his group puts together in Manatee County.
"I was impressed with what I read about them taking back their community and just had to meet these folks," said Conard. "These folks are a real example of how to get others to help themselves. We're fortunate in Manatee County to have so many caring people and this whole experience is an example of how we can all help neighborhoods who want to take their neighborhoods back. They work together to be helpful to one another."
One neighborhood goal is to spread the philosophy of working together to other neighborhoods. Resident Cat Lewis said invitations to dinners and events have been extended, but so far no takers.
In the meantime, Parkside will continue to build on its success.
Lewis, who makes her own lotions and soaps under the company name, Cat Lewis's Soaps and Lotions Creations, said she hopes to begin a craft show in the community soon to show off all the creative talent living there.
The Parkside residents celebrate their success and hope to see it spread. Baker said it will take time, if it happens at all, because change has to come from within.
"Honestly, I think people outside of this neighborhood want to see us fail," he said. "But we won't."
Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter @urbanmark2014.
This story was originally published April 16, 2016 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Bradenton's Ballard Park neighborhood celebrates taking back its community ."