Sixth Ward Alderman Hall Wants To Engage Community And Develop Partnerships
The Reverend William Hall is 6th Ward Alderman. Photo provided by Ald. William Hall.
Sixth Ward Alderman William Hall developed a Sixth Ward Sustainability Plan and is currently focusing phase one which includes job creation.
The sustainability plan is centered on innovation, equity and advocacy. With job creation being part of the plan, every third Thursday the Sixth Ward hosts a career fair at either Tuley Park, located 501 E. 90th St., or Hamilton Park 513 W. 72nd St. On odd months, the career fair takes place at Tuley and on even months, it takes place at Hamilton.
“Going into the different neighborhoods and bringing anywhere between 15 to 25 hiring companies, that has been a great success,” Hall said.
Since the career fairs began in January of this year, 12 people who attended have been hired by companies. Hall said he implemented the career fairs because he wants Black people to have careers and jobs. He added that creating opportunities for people to have access to jobs is how middle-class communities are created. He said it gives people an opportunity to improve their lives and it is how you grow a neighborhood.
“Everyone deserves a place to rest their head and an opportunity to have access to capital. These are not just hourly jobs, these are career-shifting jobs,” he said, adding that these jobs are opportunities for people from first-time employees to people looking to change careers to returning citizens. Hall wants the residents in his ward to have the opportunity to get access to their fair share of the economy that is available in Chicago.
Another part of the plan is $250,000 which will be used for infrastructure development in the Ward. The goal is to maximize the money the ward received in the city’s budget to look at vehicular safety and community safety, with lighting. It was a promise that Hall made to constituents, and he is ensuring that it is a promise he will keep. This includes light pole add-ons that are supplemental flood lights. Redirecting the lighting on blocks will help keep the community safe.
Hall also is developing a partnership that will enable seniors to have activities Monday-Friday. Hall believes it is essential to keep seniors in the community engaged and described them as “wisdom trees.” Through programs and partnerships, Hall wants to change the narrative around how seniors are treated in communities.
“It will be an opportunity for seniors to engage, get some exercise and other things that will improve the quality of life for our residents,” he said.
On Fourth Mondays on select months, Hall is hosting Meet Up Mondays, where residents can come to his office to discuss matters that are important to them for 15 minutes. Hall also wants to implement Walk A Mile Mondays and Tennis Tuesdays during the summer as a way to engage communities.
For the summer, Hall has a few events for the community in the Sixth Ward. A music series called the Nat King Cole Series, which will take place every first and third Monday during the summer. He also wants to create summer opportunities to engage parents and school-aged children.
“For me, it’s not just about coming together to sit and meet, it’s about finding partners that are willing to help grow and build the ward,” he said.
Hall recently hosted a meeting to inform them about business opportunities that want to come into the community. He said the goal is that whenever a business wants to come into the Ward, that business has to meet with the community and the residents who live within a certain radius of the business who might be affected by that business’ presence in the community. It is a way to get feedback from residents. Hall said there have been businesses that have come into the community that have prospered and he credits partnership between the community and those businesses with the success of the business.
For more information about the Sixth Ward, email Ward06@cityofchicago.org.
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