Montgomery Ford initiative opens community centers, Firehouse 10 and downtown ambassadors, mayor says

The mayor of Montgomery said Wednesday that the city has used the $50 million Montgomery Ford initiative to reopen and open community centers across the city, expand downtown services and modernize emergency response.

Why it matters: Community centers and emergency services affect neighborhood vitality, youth programming and emergency response capacity citywide.

The address named Sheridan Heights, Chisholm and the Crump Community Center as sites now serving residents, and said the Courtney Pruitt Community Center on Calmar Drive will open later this year. The mayor said the centers “serve tens of thousands of residents each year” and are being equipped for broader community use.

The administration also opened Firehouse 10 in West Montgomery and installed Montgomery’s first safe-haven baby box, which the mayor described as providing “parents in a crisis safe and anonymous protection and an option.” The city has launched a block-by-block ambassador program downtown to keep streets clean, assist visitors and create a “more welcoming city center.”

The mayor said the city is in the final stages of a comprehensive rewrite of city zoning and ordinances — the first such revision in “well over 60 years” and the product of more than two years of work aimed at guiding smarter growth and attracting development.

He said the city has begun forming a committee to evaluate candidates for fire chief following Chief Jordan’s retirement and that both internal and external candidates are being considered. No appointment was announced.

The mayor framed these investments as part of a broader economic-development effort funded by the Montgomery Ford initiative and tied to service expansion and neighborhood improvement.