Local Elected Officials Learned to Implement Placemaking Strategies in Grant County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Local Elected Officials Learned to Implement Placemaking Strategies in Grant County
VAN BUREN, INDIANA, Thursday, October 22nd, 2019 – Grant County’s local elected officials (LEOs) gathered to learn about exciting and simple ways to repurpose empty spaces in their municipalities and each municipality competed to win a $1000 Placemaking grant. At the LEO dinner, local elected officials learned that endless possibilities provide simple, inexpensive, and effective ways to make Grant County community an even more enjoyable place to live and work.
The Grant County Economic Growth Council brings Grant County’s LEOs together bi-annually to learn new and creative ways to improve their communities and to build relationships with other LEOs across the county. The dinner invites an outside speaker to share their economic development expertise with the LEOs. The gathering also provides a forum for the LEOs and the Grant County Economic Growth Council to consider the best ways to foster economic growth within the individual municipalities and Grant County as a whole.
During this week’s LEO dinner, representatives from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) inspired the LEOs to consider ways in which they can implement placemaking strategies in their local communities. They explained the purpose of placemaking: capitalizing on a community’s assets, inspiration, and potential to create public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well-being. Many cities across the world have implemented placemaking strategies that Grant County can emulate. For example, Águeda, Portugal, initiated the “Umbrella Project” by hanging dozens of colorful umbrellas along a streetway to provide shade to walkers-by. Leaders in Louisville, Kentucky, transformed a vacant lot into a pop-up beer garden, café, and outdoor space. OCRA helped local elected officials consider ways in which they can create welcoming public spaces in Grant County.
The Grant County Economic Growth Council offered a $1000 placemaking grant competition for the LEOs attending the LEO dinner. After receiving inspiration from the OCRA representatives, they worked with their municipality to propose one placemaking strategy in their district. Marion representatives proposed placing new bike racks near the downtown square, and officials from Van Buren suggested creating a pop-up community space on an empty lot. After each the vote, the representatives from Jonesboro won the $1000 grant to create a communal space for people of all ages full of picnic tables and benches.The Grant County Economic Growth Council looks forward to partnering with the city of Jonesboro to implement their new, creative placemaking strategy!
