Statements

Mission

To promote community, preservation, and engagement through action and programming in this historic Nashville neighborhood

Background

The Hillsboro-West End Neighborhood Association of Nashville was founded in 1975 to respond to the razing of homes in the community and to fight the construction of I-440 until achieving placement below grade. Most homes were built between 1910-1935 in styles favored by the urban middle class of the day - Craftsman, Tudor Revival, Foursquare, and English cottage. Today HWEN consists of the largest, cohesive collection of early 20th century houses in all of Nashville. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and largely protected under Conservation Zoning. It includes Hillsboro Village and Fannie Mae Dees public park (aka: Dragon Park).

Impact

HWEN has changed the lives of residents, improved property values and protected a Nashville gem by fighting to achieve I-440's sub-grade placement, winning Conservation Zoning for a large portion of the neighborhood, and executing an array of community programs. Results have impacted thousands of neighbors, their property values and quality of life, the city at large and its unique brand, and visitors to the district from near and far.On behalf of the city, and in partnership with Metro Parks, HWEN is driving change by leading the restoration of Dragon Park's iconic dragon sculpture. Reopening this highly visible Nashville landmark as a destination will deliver renewed vitality and strength for Hillsboro Village, benefitting merchants, residents and the city at large. Other Key Programs and Impacts: * Cultural events produced by HWEN are now mainstays of the Nashville scene, from the annual Holiday Lights Carriage Tours (est. 2013) to Dragon Music Sundays (est. 2008), drawing thousands from around the city and beyond. * HWEN monitors and takes action multiple times a year on these neighborhood issues: development, zoning and codes, traffic and parking, resulting in changes to plans that better facilitate HWEN's mission. * HWEN's beautification and environmental programs have resulted in new green space, additions to the city's tree canopy, proper disposal of junk and electronic waste, and more. Through all of these actions and programs, HWEN has worked hard to maintain the neighborhood as an important piece of Nashville's authentic personality and unique history, while allowing for evolution in a smart and measured way. HWEN's achievements impact thousands of neighbors, their property values and quality of life, as well as the city, its unique brand, and visitors from near and far.

Needs

HWEN needs financial support to restore Nashville's beloved and iconic dragon sculpture in Fannie Mae Dees Park (aka: Dragon Park). All donations are tax deductible.

CEO Statement

We do not have a CEO or Director. We are an all volunteer organization. Please see statement below from our Board Chair.

Board Chair Statement

The HWEN board is excited and proud to be instrumental in saving Nashville's iconic dragon and in restoring Fannie Mae Dees Park (better known as Dragon Park) to its full magic and functionality. You may not have known, as I know we were all shocked to discover, just how seriously the dragon had deteriorated. So up went the fence closing it, along with a central section of the park, to area residents and the public. Since then, a public-private partnership between HWEN and Metro Parks was formed and has been hard at work making repairs. The dragon sculpture is the amazing result of a community art project in the early 1980s led by renowned national artist Pedro Silva. It now serves as a local landmark, creates a strong identity for Hillsboro Village and is stitched into Nashville's unique story.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Community Improvement, Capacity Building  - Neighborhood/Block Association
Secondary Category:	Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Single Organization Support
Tertiary Category:	Community Improvement, Capacity Building  - Neighborhood/Block Association

Areas Served

Situated in Nashville's inner core between two major corridors, West End Ave. and Hillsboro/21st Ave., the neighborhood stretches from Vanderbilt all the way to I-440. HWEN is home to a densely populated residential district, to Hillsboro Village -- Nashville's oldest commercial district outside of downtown -- and to Fannie Mae Dees Park (aka: Dragon Park), Primary zip code is 37212. Dragon Park, Hillsboro Village and cultural programs attract locals and visitors from the neighborhood and city

TN - Davidson