A New Road Begins (Spring 2004)

Despite snow flurries and freezing temperatures on March 17th, more than 70 people gathered at the corner of Hudson and Park for the Park Street Streetscape groundbreaking cer­emony. For Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance, the event celebrated the end of a long road, and the beginning of a brand new one. SINA, in partnership with SAMA and the City, spent the last six years working with local, state, and fed­eral officials to find the funds for a complete restoration of Park Street.

Their perseverance paid off. On March 17th, they celebrated the success of securing 6.5 million dollars for a comprehensive streetscape renovation.

If Park Street represents the heart of Hartford's Latino commu­nity; then the Spanish American Merchants Association is the pulse. SINA takes pride in its history of partnering with SAMA. "We've been doing a lot of work on Park Street, like working with the merchants to organize the first special services dis­tricts," SINA's Executive Director Luis Caban explained. The Park Street Special Services District will help maintain the Streetscape improvements.

For SINA, Streetscape was an ambitious project but its impending out­comes for the merchants and the community made it worth all the effort. "When we put our foot down, with our determined partners, we get things done," Caban declared.

"We are here today because of a lot of hard work," State Senator John Fonafara acknowledged the team efforts that pushed the project along. "This is a great day for Hartford."

The ceremony concluded as a dozen city and state officials, as well as representatives from the participating organiza­tions, lifted dirt with golden shovels, symbolically breaking ground for the new sidewalks, streets, light fixtures, and park­ing, all parts of the planned enhancements to Park Street's business environment.