Residents of the Selmont community are fed up with their area’s negative reputation and are standing up for change.

About 50 men, women and children gathered inside the Tipton-Durant Middle School gymnasium Tuesday to voice their concerns about such issues as crime, littering and street paving, before the Selmont Community Development Corporation, which includes Selma community leaders.

The newly formed nonprofit organization plans to revive and improve the community through such future projects as a health fair in the fall, community cleanups, a newly improved walking trail and a playground with the approval of the Dallas County School board.

SCDC board members want to be a voice for Selmont and said great things can happen when the community sticks together and does its part to make sure effective changes take place.

“I had a vision, a dream, we want more than a walking trail behind Tipton,” said Dallas County commissioner Connell Towns, who represents the area on the Dallas County Commission. “We have plans to do a whole park … for this community, where people can enjoy — have family reunions. We want the community to help move our community forward.”

Many residents are in favor of what the SCDC is doing.

“The project is something for children to do … for old people,” Selmont resident for more than 40 years Millie Shanks said. “It’s good for the community.”

SCDC president Vivian Jones said the group’s mission is to develop neighborhood leadership and build a community free of poverty, prejudice and tension.

Representatives from the Strategic Alliance for Health and the Alabama Department of Public Health also spoke to the crowd about health initiatives and projects for the area. State Reps. Darrio Melton and David Colston were also in attendance.