The Garland City Council recognized two award-winning Garland neighborhoods during its July 10 regular meeting.
Neighborhoods, USA (also known as NUSA) is a national non-profit organization committed to building and strengthening neighborhood organizations. For the past 43 years, they have held an annual conference that provides an opportunity for people across the country share best practices, discuss timely issues and encourage one another as they invest in their neighborhoods.
Each year, neighborhoods from across the country apply for the various NUSA awards, and we are proud to announce that two Garland neighborhoods were recognized at the 2018 Neighborhoods, USA Conference held in Birmingham, Alabama.
New World neighborhood is a vibrant community located in South Garland. Though the crime watch was officially established in 2003, the residents have been looking out for each other and investing in their neighborhood from the very beginning. Over the years they have made many improvements to their neighborhood. They helped to install a quarter-mile walking trail around Armstrong Park, added benches and picnic tables, and advocated for the sound wall along Interstate 635, which borders their neighborhood.
In 2017, through a collaboration with New World Crime Watch; Garland Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts; Neighborhood Vitality; and Keep Garland Beautiful, the Armstrong Park Enhancement Project came to completion with the addition of outdoor exercise equipment, a butterfly 
garden and additional lighting to promote healthy living and safety.
These efforts were rewarded when New World Crime Watch received Third Place for Neighborhood of the Year with Neighborhoods, USA, competing with neighborhoods nationwide.
The second neighborhood recognized at the NUSA conference was Camelot Neighborhood Association. Camelot has a rich history of invested and involved residents. There have been many Council Members and Commissioners who came out of Camelot and who continue to be involved in the neighborhood.
Their monthly newsletter, cleverly named The Knightly News, is fun and engaging, inviting readers to join in the many neighborhood activities. Their voluntary editorial staff produces professional-level publications, which led to them receiving Third Place for the NUSA Neighborhood Newsletter Competition!