The City of Wheeling has announced the recipients of this year’s Love Your Neighborhood Mini Grant Program. City officials encouraged residents to beautify their communities via the program that was approved by City Council in the spring. 

The following projects were selected by the application review committee: 

• Ward 1 - Grow Warwood Pride for Community Garden located at N. 3^rd Street Park/Playground.
• Ward 2 - Victorian Old Town Association for Phase II Street Tree Project; North Wheeling Youth Center/Bethlehem Temple for Community Garden and Welcome Sign; and Wheeling Island Community Association for Riverfront Revival at Wheeling Island Marina.
• Ward 3 - Studio MC and Centre Market Commission for Market Mural Fence Project.
• Ward 4 - Wheeling Recreation Commission for Art with Vondell Bell. 
• Ward 5 - Elmhurst House of Friendship for Front Lawn Beautification. 
• Ward 6 - Elm Grove Business Association for a Welcome to Elm Grove sign.

City Clerk Jessica Zalenski will be contacting awardees prior to the mandatory orientation slated for Aug. 26.

The City allotted $30,000 city wide to help citizens to beautify neighborhoods. Each ward was eligible for $5,000. The program was administered through the City Clerk’s office and all applications were scored by an Application Review Committee. 

Successful applications demonstrated projects that will do at least one of the following: address a goal that is shared by community members; be resident-led and show clear support from the community; increase community connectedness through volunteerism; help improve residents’ perception of safety; improve the appearance of the neighborhood; revitalize a physical space (i.e. vacant lot, green space, etc.) that is underused, overgrown or an eyesore to the community; and work with city services as necessary to enhance the projects as necessary.