ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford’s Neighborhood Improvement was working on Broadway today, one of the areas affected by an increase in crime.

The City says it is bringing resources to those neighborhoods, being something such as trimming trees or handing out smoke detectors.

The City also hosts a block party in the neighborhoods. Today, firefighters showed off their engines and police officers played basketball with kids.

Mayor Tom McNamara says the initiative is meant to build relationships between city authorities and the community.

“You just take the Broadway area, it’s one of the most special areas in Rockford. It’s underappreciated and undervalued. But look at what it has, it has amazing local businesses, it has incredibly hard-working citizens, has so many people who are active and engaged in our community. It has so much potential that we as a city need to invest more in it, and part of that investment has been over the last several weeks and months and the last couple of years but we’re going to continue to do that,” McNamara said.

On Saturday, the El Barrio Community Center is hosting a parade in the neighborhood, starting at noon at Kishwaukee and Broadway, followed by a festival at Keye-Mallquist Park at 1 p.m.