Just a few weeks after Hank Aaron’s childhood home was returned to Toulminville, the neighborhood he grew up in is readying for a revival. A new neighborhood plan — created with input from even the youngest members of the community – will guide the process, marshal city resources and energy to aid the effort.

“I’m so excited. It was hard work, it took about a year and a half to get this completed. But it was hard work from the community,” said Mobile City Councilmember Cory Penn, who represents Toulminville. “We had church leaders, community leaders, youth here, supporting this plan. They designed this plan, it’s their plan, and now it’s time to implement the plan.”

The plan, similar to the kind formed by residents of Africatown and the Village of Spring Hill, was created with the input of Toulminville residents, who attended several packed community meetings to form the plan with members of Build Mobile, the city’s planning department; and Planning NEXT, a consulting firm.

Even students at Booker T. Washington Middle School in the neighborhood got involved after learning of the project. The students were able to submit their feedback while the plan was being formed, Penn says, and a group attended the hearing Thursday in order to see the plan be adopted. The students also helped with the design of a new playground in the area.

“They talked about the issues in their classrooms,” Penn said. “Their discussions are not just about history or the past, but things that are affecting them right now, and I think that’s very powerful.”