CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - July 8, 2015 - As the official kick-off activity for the three-week Savan (Savanne) Clean-Up and Restore Project, the Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission (ECZC), an entity of the V.I. Economic Development Authority (VIEDA), will lead a Historic Talk and Walkthrough the neighborhood of Savanne on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 9AM. The ECZC and several V.I. community historians will provide the residents of Savanne and the general public with architectural and historical perspectives of Savanne.
The residents of Savanne and the general public are invited to attend this two-hour historic talk and walkthrough the neighborhood of Savanne. Attendees must assemble at the Market Square located next to the Methodist Church. The Savan (Savanne) Clean-Up and Restore Project, which is spearheaded by Community Action NOW! or C.A.N.!, will focus on the clean-up and restoration of the neighborhood of Savanne through various activities to be held from Thursday, July 9 to Saturday, July 25, 2015.
“Savanne is rich in history and is a poised for revitalization. As the Savan (Savanne) Clean-Up and Restore Project is launched this week, this historic talk and walk through Savanne led by the ECZC will allow our community to reflect on our past so that new initiatives can be developed to restore this area to the once vibrant neighborhood we know and cherish,” said VIEDA Acting CEO Wayne L. Biggs, Jr.
The sites to be visited during the walkthrough include, but are not limited to, General Gade and Vester Gade. "We need to understand where we came from so that we can move forward. This is why we are beginning the Savan (Savanne) Clean-Up and Restore Project with a historic talk and walk through the neighborhood of Savanne," said ECZC Director Nadine T. Marchena Kean.
The ECZC assists residents and local small business owners with rehabilitating properties that are located within designated enterprise zones in the Territory. The enterprise zones in the USVI are Garden Street-Upstreet and Savanne-Downstreet on St. Thomas, and Frederiksted and Christiansted on St. Croix.
C.A.N.!, Inc., which includes residents of Savanne commonly known as ‘Savaneros’, is a local 501c3 non-profit organization that focuses on community efforts for small-scale community restoration, shelter, food aid, community awareness and organizing, civil rights, micro-enterprise development and educational opportunities. Its mission is to give hope and immediate aid to those who need it most.
For more information on the Enterprise and Commercial Zone Commission (ECZC), contact the VIEDA at (340) 714-1700 or visit www.usvieda.org . To learn more about the Savan (Savanne) Clean-Up and Restore Project or C.A.N.!, Inc., please call 1-770-852-0226, visit at www.CommunityActionNow.org , or send an email to info@communityactionnow.org .
# # #