West End/Atlanta University Center Wish List

1) “Speed bumps for my Rogers Avenue and other streets in the neighborhood. We have these long, wide streets that are often used like drag strips. Cars speed down without regard for the speed limit — it’s a real hazard for playing kids, pedestrians, and cars parked along the sides.” — Kisha Solomon, 35, content manager at WebMD, Westview Resident

2) “I have kids, so a big dream of mine would be to have an incredible playground that really attracted kids.” — Paul Benson, 42, Capitol View Neighborhood Association President

3) “To have a community improvement district on our area. We’ve been working toward and getting so close but are not quite there.” — Gwendolyn Shands, urban planner and proposed West End CID director

4) “I would love a place where I could buy produce and other fresh items. Our neighborhood has a wealth of convenience stores and food marts, but none of them sell healthy, fresh ingredients. It would be amazing to be able to drop in to one of the local marts to pick up some eggs or veggies for dinner — I’d much rather support these local businesses than drive out of my neighborhood and out of my way to a big-box store.” — Laura Henninghausen, 27, Program and Development Manager at Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, Capitol View resident

5) “One thing I envision is a community writing center where adults could volunteer to help kids in the West End with their homework. The center would also run creative writing workshops for all ages. A writing center like this could empower and inspire many kids, while also providing Atlanta writers with a way to invest not only in the next generation but also the West End community.” — Jessie Matheson, 27, Program Director at the Wren’s Nest