As O’Connell takes office, Nashvillians hope for change in all corners of the city

Nashville’s new mayor, Freddie O’Connell, celebrated his inauguration over the weekend. Metro departments, community groups, former mayors and residents gathered downtown to honor the city’s new leader.

At the event, many attendees shared their hopes — albeit, often different ones — of what this new administration will bring.

O’Connell marks Nashville’s fourth mayor in just the last six years. The city has seen a string of one-term — or less — mayors, leaving some residents in want of more substantial city progress.

When asked what they’d most like to see O’Connell accomplish as mayor, inauguration attendees offered a medley of responses.

Some answers echoed the priorities of his campaign.

Heather Durai said that her No. 1 desire was transit improvements.

Another attendee, Laszlo Marton, agreed. He praised O’Connell’s inauguration day “Transit Treks.” The new mayor set up various ways for community travel to the festivities at Public Square Park, encouraging people to travel together, on foot, bike, bus or shuttle.

“I would love to see him continue his emphasis on making Nashville more transit-friendly, more multimodal, safer streets,” Marton said. “I love biking, and I rode in a group today on my way here … But, in Nashville as a whole, there’s so many parts that really need to be more bikeable, walkable. And I would just love to see him carry that momentum.”

Abby Whisenant was attending the event with Woke3, a Nashville native muralist who created a painting during the festivities. While contributing to the piece, Whisenant noted that she would like to see O’Connell “creating conditions where we can stay, those of us who want to stay.”

“I know that was Freddie’s message during the campaign, and that’s the theme of our art today as well,” Whisenant noted.

But others attendee’s views extended beyond this.

There was Suzanna Wilkinson, who serves on the mayor’s youth council, and wants to see more “connectivity with the city’s youth.”

“I feel like everything is either 18 and up, or 21 and up,” Wilkinson said. “I want youth to be able to go see live music safely and openly and to be able to get downtown safely and to be able to connect to other parts of the city safely.”

There was also Mekayle Houghton, the executive director of the Cumberland River Compact, who said her “personal and professional goal would be to see more green and complete streets in the city.”

And Beth Shinn, an attendee, said her top desire would be for “affordable housing for our lowest-income citizens.”

For one attendee, 6-year-old Kingston Oldham, his wish already came true.

He said he wanted to see the mayor make a speech — which, after taking the oath of office, O’Connell did.