The area around Silverada Boulevard and Paradise Drive is getting some safety enhancements to protect pedestrians in the area. The neighborhood has one of the densest senior populations in Reno. Since some of them use walkers, wheelchairs or canes, speeding cars are concerning to residents.
"They come around the corner, practically on two wheels and there could be a senior in a walker or a wheelchair crossing over to the park," Rebecca Hamilton-Baumann, resident said.
"Cars are speeding up and down Silverada and speeding on both ends of Paradise Drive," Gerry Mifsud, resident said. "It's the speeding cars that I'm after."
Many residents credit Mifsud for getting the city to make improvements. He says collaboration with city leaders helped make several changes. Crews are installing speed humps on Paradise Drive to slow drivers down, yield signs are sitting in the middle of two crosswalks, and the first "Seniors Crossing" signs are in the same area.
"When they see that name up there, they say 'Somebody knows who I am. This is my neighborhood.' It gives them a shot in the arm where they've been forgotten," Mifsud said.
The city also added flashing lights at a busy crosswalk on Silverada Blvd. Residents say that is very important for seniors who use the bus at that intersection, and for those who walk to and from the grocery store and other places.
"People will stop when they see the flashing lights," Christina Smilanick, resident said. "Very rarely, occasionally, somebody will just keep going but they always stop."
Reno City Councilman Oscar Delgado says its important to keep the neighborhood safe, and working with the community is a big part of that. He says one of his next goals is to add security to Taglia's Paradise Park. Residents say the park needs more lighting and possibly a gate to keep drug dealers out of the park. Delgado says dealing with the homeless population in the park is also part of the plan, along with other things to make the neighborhood safer for pedestrians.
"Making sure that people have access to the park, that it's safe, that cars are going at decent speeds," Delgado said. "We put in speed bumps, that they feel comfortable crossing. The other piece is they feel ownership."
Mifsud still wants to see more crosswalks and stop signs along Silverada Blvd. He is also planning a celebration in the park. He is calling it "Block and Roll", which is free of charge. He is hoping to get 400-600 seniors to attend the party. It runs from noon to 4:30, July 14. He says it will include live music, food trucks and other entertainment.
