'We need to have some hard conversations,' Woodfin says struggle to maintain public spaces goes back to segregation

AROUND 338. WELL, BIRMINGHAM MAYOR RANDALL WOODFIN SPEAKING UP ABOUT WHY HE SAYS THE CITY IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH MAINTENANCE AT PUBLIC SPACES AS WVTM THIRTEEN’S MATTIE DAVIS REPORTS. HE SAYS IT GOES BACK TO JIM CROW ERA REPERCUSSION. AS MAYOR, WOODFIN SAYS HE SPOKE WITH A RESIDENT WHO HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY’S UPKEEP HERE. OF MCALPINE PARK. HE SAYS HE WAS PRETTY FRANK WITH HER ABOUT THE CHALLENGE THEY FACED IN 2023. WE DON’T EVEN HAVE THE PROPER RELATION TO SUPPORT TO LIBRARY LIBRARIES THAT ARE LESS THAN A MILE APART TO RECREATION CENTERS THAT ARE LESS THAN A MILE APART AND TWO PARKS THAT ARE ARE LESS THAN A MILE APART. BASS ON A RACIST SYSTEM, AN ISSUE GOING BACK TO SEGREGATION. BLACK PEOPLE HAD TO BE OVER HERE IN EAST ENSLEY. WHITE PEOPLE HAD TO BE ALL THE PART OF ANGELIQUE. WHAT IS LEFT? AN ABUNDANCE OF LIBRARY MOSSES PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS. BUT A POPULATION THAT’S DOWN NEARLY. 150,000. I DO NOT THINK YOU SHOULD EXPECT THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN BOTH OF THOSE PLACES. ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO JOIN IN ON THE CONVERSATION TO CONSOLIDATE CITY AMENITIES. ALL OF US NEED TO GET IN A ROOM AND HAVE SOME TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, BUT THE FOOT TRAFFIC AND THE CITY’S POPULATION DOES NOT SUPPORT THAT. TWO TIER SYSTEM COUNCILORS AGREEING MONEY, RESOURCES AND TIME SHOULD BE USED TO INVEST IN QUALITY SPACES. WE HAVE LESS TAX BASE NOW. NOW WITH ALL OF THIS DUPLICATE GOSHEN THAT WAS BASED IN RACISM. SO WE NEED TO HAVE A HARD CONVERSATION. AS THE MAYOR SAID. ACCORDING TO COUNCILOR O’QUINN, THE CITY HAS APPLIED FOR A GRANT FROM THE EPA. IF AWARDED, THEY COULD USE THE MONEY TO INVEST IN A PLAN TO REVITALIZE PUBLIC SPACES MOVING FORW