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Two years ago, on the west side of Hartford, CT senior citizens were using Burger King as a gathering spot, young people were playing basketball in the streets and there was no central meeting place for residents in the neighborhood.

Then block clubs, teen groups and senior citizens decided it was time for the city to invest in a community center for their neighborhood.

The West End Civic Association and community residents organized a petition drive detailing a need for a basketball court, recreation at the neighborhood elementary school and a community center.

They gathered thousands of signatures and then organized a large meeting in March 2001 with state and city officials to present the petition.

At the meeting, 14 year-old Laquita Trapp, surrounded by other neighborhood teens explained to the officials.

"We need a place to go so that we are not playing in the street. We need a basketball court and a community center for our safety and we need something to do," she said.

After Trapp spoke, cheering and applause broke out and the city officials promised to hire new staff for recreation at the elementary school and at a park in the summertime and to build a basketball court. All the officials agreed to support the community center.

Over the summer of 2001, there were recreation programs at the park and the basketball court was built by the end of July. A grand opening party was held to celebrate the basketball court with a stage, lots of food and the teens and seniors held a ribbon across the court for the city officials to run through.

Next steps included brainstorming sessions where community residents broke into groups and listed activities they would like to see at a community center.

At a candidates' forum held by the West End Civic Association in October 2001, residents received a promise from a candidate for City Council that she would put in a resolution requesting $450,000 for the community center. When she won election, she sponsored the resolution in January, 2002. A public hearing was held and brought over 100 people down to City Hall. West End members, Shadia Coley and Amaris Pacheco spoke in front of the City Council.

Two weeks later, residents went back to City Hall to sit in front of them while the city council members voted. When they voted yes, Coley shouted, "We got it!"

Members are currently working to purchase a building for the community center. By the time NPA rolls around, West End residents want to be moved in!