‘All of that in one place:’ West-Torrence talks to city leaders about proposed NECIC community center

MANSFIELD — Deanna West-Torrence looks at gun violence in the north end over the past year. She drives by the former Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center, shuttered in 2020 and now in the process of being torn down.

And she sees a correlation between the two, which the founder and executive director of the North End Community Improvement Collaborative explained to Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening.

“What we see happening in the neighborhood is often happening with people who there wasn’t an Ocie Hill for. They did not (get to take advantage of it).  They were too young when (it) closed. So now, there’s pretty much nothing.

“We’ve talked about what is the impact of that and what would be the impact of the building,” West-Torrence said during a fundraising update presentation for a proposed new NECIC Community Impact Center.

She said young people walking in the door of the center will see things in their neighborhood that are not there now.

“We know Third Street Clinic is going to be there, hopefully, they’re planning to be there. So they’ll see doctors and nurses in their neighborhood. They’ll see an architect. They’ll see a legal office and lawyers. They’ll see performers, artists, non-profit professionals and farmers and gardeners.

“All those things that we need to really help transform the neighborhood. So all of that is in one place,” West-Torrence said, including workforce development efforts.

“We know that people from all over the city will make use of this building as they did the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center. It is not restricted to just the north end, but it certainly will be a jewel in the north end,” she said.

“Along with the urban farm and some of the other things that we’ve done, we are really trying to concentrate in that particular area and  transform that part of the community.”

City Council in May 2022 approved $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the $15 million center, planned for 486 Springmill St., formerly the Imani Activity and Events Center, which NECIC purchased in the summer of 2021.

West-Torrence said about $3 million has been raised thus far, including the funds from the city, $1 million from the Richland County Foundation and $100,000 from Park National Bank.

The Richland County Board of Commissioners had planned make a “substantial contribution” using ARPA funds.

But commissioners Cliff Mears and Darrell Banks on Feb. 16 withdrew support with both questioning the financial planning for the center. Commissioner Tony Vero said he continues to support the county’s participation.

The NECIC plan is to raise the rest of the money by the end of 2023 and West-Torrence hinted at a change in fundraising strategies.

“As of today, we have had some discussion among our leadership and our board. I’m not at liberty yet to disclose all of that. But I think we will be changing some things with our campaign for the good,” she said.

Fourth Ward Councilman Alomar Davenport, whose district includes the former Ocie Hill building and the proposed center, had asked West-Torrence to provide an update.

He praised her work in launching and developing the non-profit NECIC, which West-Torrence founded in 2006.

“I would say she has a high level of business acumen,” Davenport said. “And I’m confused (by) anyone who would think anything differently.

“You simply cannot run an organization in the manner that they have for as long as they have without understanding this. So I want to thank you and your organization for everything that you have done, everything that you’re doing, and everything that you will continue to do for the north end,” Davenport said.

West-Torrence, a former City Council member, admitted to local lawmakers the work of community development is a slow process.

“I think elected officials change, (they) come and go, but this work in these neighborhoods has to continue. And so I appreciate that you all have been willing to jump on board whenever you come on and support the work, because that’s really what we need,” she said.

“I think that this is a good time for our community, that people are really beginning to take action on things.”

Fifth Ward Council Aurelio Diaz, who attended the county commissioners’ meeting in February, said he was pleased to see the “extraordinary” amount of support for the project after that meeting.

“I think those types of things happen for a reason. We saw firsthand (that) people from all walks of life, all political sides, coming together, understanding the importance of this,” Diaz said.

“All the gun violence we’ve seen, it’s hit close to home. These are people that we know, these are our families … kids. And it’s so frustrating. I like that you created an illustration of these young people who did not benefit from the experience of going to a community center that was all in limbo. It was gone.

“It makes perfect sense. These shootings were happening in one area of the city and it’s so obvious. So it’s beautiful to see everyone coming together. — west, south and east support the north end.

“Then you get so much criticism, ‘Why so much focus on the north end?’ Well, because it’s been overlooked for so long,” Diaz said.

West-Torrence closed by again thanking council for its support and said all aspects of the community have roles to play.

She also pointed out individuals can donate to the community center online at https://www.necic-ohio.org/donate.

“The schools have things they have to do. We have things that the neighborhoods have to do. There are things for parents to do, things for our hospital and other agencies and things for our elected officials to do.

“So we are grateful when our elected officials understand that we all have to do this together. And you all kind of create the environment for us, for the rest of us to do our work. So we appreciate that,” she said.