Beyond the Divide: Reconnecting W 9th Street to the Hearts of Little Rock

Beyond the Divide: Reconnecting W 9th Street to the Hearts of Little Rock

join us for a Walk Audit of the West 9th Street corridor—an important step in our ongoing “Beyond the Divide” effort to help reconnect this historic street to the cultural and civic heart of Little Rock. Your voice and presence would mean a great deal. Each of you plays a role in the story, legacy, and future of this community, and we hope you’ll take part in shaping the next chapter with us.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, December 13
Time: 10am - 2pm (with light breakfast + lunch provided)
Location: Hosted by the Dreamland Ballrooom

What to Expect:

• A welcome and introduction to Beyond the Divide, a Smart Growth America Community Change project (one of just three selected nationwide) in partnership with studioMAIN.
• A brief history of W 9th Street—what it once was and where it’s gone—shared by community memory keepers.
• A guided walking tour with audit stations to record observations, challenges, and opportunities along the 9th Street corridor.
• A findings share-out and collaborative design charrette to envision solutions and possibilities together.
• Time spent with community members, leaders, and advocates who are collectively working to make Little Rock more walkable, vibrant, and culturally rich.

This walk audit is an opportunity to listen, learn, and co-create with the people who care deeply about the future of this corridor. Your insights—historical, professional, creative, or lived—will directly shape our next steps.

This free event is presented by AARP and includes a light breakfast from Community Bakery and lunch by Certified Pies.

Thank you to our partners the City of Little Rock, Our Little Rock, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Dunbar Neighborhood Association, Philanders Smith University, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Hugg & Hall Equipment, Velocity Graphics, Smart Growth America, Better Block, and others for making this project what it is today.