Selma residents will have the chance to not only check out the new Riverfront river walk on Aug. 25, but will also have the chance to ask the Selma City Council any question they want.

During an organizing meeting Tuesday afternoon, a committee of the Selma City Council met to begin final preparations for the Riverfront Community Day Forum. The goal of the event is to not just officially unveil the completed portions of the river walk project, but also hear from residents the issues most important to them.

“We can’t alienate the youth and have Selma grow. We can’t alienate the elderly and have Selma grow. We can’t alienate the black community and have Selma grow and we can’t alienate the white community and have Selma grow,” Selma council member Corey Bowie said. “We have to find a way to bring everyone together, and this is just another opportunity to do just that.”

The evening event will include a Let’s Move event hosted by Jeannie Evans, wife of Selma Mayor George Evans, held at the recently opened Phoenix Park at 5 p.m., followed by the ribbon cutting at the river walk at 6 p.m.

The forum, moderated by Albert Turner, is tentatively scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. with residents given up to three minutes to ask the city council and city leaders questions.

“We want to make sure this forum is held in a way that is not so business-oriented but is fun,” Bowie said.

City council member Angela Benjamin, also a member of the planning committee agreed.

“At the council meetings, we are operating under rules that sometimes don’t give residents the time they might need,” Benjamin said. “This way, we are able residents the chance to get their questions out and, if needed, come back again and ask more questions.”

Bowie said while the forum itself is important, what the council and other city leaders do with the information is more important.

“Our goal with this needs to be to take the concerns brought to us by the residents and work on a comprehensive plan where we can address those concerns,” Bowie said. “We want to make sure this is a family-oriented event, because it is a chance to celebrate something that is designed to improve the quality of life in Selma.”

The river walk is a part of an overall project that will eventually include an amphitheater and other amenities.

Final details such as entertainment acts, food and drink information is still being finalized by the committee and will be announced later.