Rogers-Lowell Chamber unveils Vision 2025 plan
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
ROGERS — Among the requests for better roadways, public transportation, rejuvenation efforts and additional green spaces, the Vision 2025 process turned up an increased demand for beautification projects throughout the region.
During its leadership conference Tuesday, the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce unveiled the new plan, which has been described both as a blueprint and a wish list.
Chamber President Raymond Burns said he expected most of the results from the Vision 2025 process, but the emphasis on beautification was one of the few surprises.
As noted in Burns ’ executive summary included in the Vision document, relating specifically to Rogers, “ Across all sectors, community appearance and beautification were cited in the vast majority of Vision 2025 sector meetings, along with the need for a concerted, city-led effort to improve the community’s appearance and safeguard its emerging reputation as one of the most desirable places in the nation to live and visit. In particular, city entryways, medians and public spaces throughout the entire city must set the standard in showcasing the city and conveying its commitment to quality of life. Landscaping, mowing and maintenance are also critical to ensuring high appearance standards. ”
Burns added a “ Beautification” sector to the Vision 2025 process after realizing the theme was running throughout all the other sectors. Vision contributors called for additional beautification projects, especially along medians, public spaces and city entryways.
“ We feel that Rogers should have a distinct look when a person enters the city limits; therefore, this committee suggests that the city of Rogers invest in the beautification of the each entryway with landscaping and decorative entrance signs, ” sector contributors wrote.
The sector also called for Rogers to hire an urban forester, charged to “ serve as a role model of conservation and preservation, providing information on the community’s preferred landscaping aesthetic. ”
“ While all of these stated goals directly and positively impact the quality of life of our community, it will be essential for city leadership to commit to a concerted effort to improve community appearance and beautification in the coming years, ” the Vision team wrote. “ Our entryways, medians, public spaces, parks and landscaping are critical to our community’s image, and their appearance must be consistent throughout the city. We must convey that Rogers, Ark., is an attractive place to do business, live, work, play and raise a family. For our community to truly remain a leader in the state and region and retain its reputation as one of the most desirable places in the nation to live in and visit, our appearance must match our world-class amenities, people, retail and companies. ”
The Rogers team was not alone in this thinking. Those dealing with regional issues called for the incorporation of public art within all of the cities and Benton and Washington counties. The vision teams discussing Lowell asked for an improved use of aesthetics in green spaces and through enforcement of the sign ordinance, but they took it one step further.
The Vision 2025 plan includes a request for the creation of Keep Lowell Beautiful. As many cities have done, such an organization would be affiliated with the national organization Keep America Beautiful and be concerned with litter cleanup and community beautification efforts. Rogers
Much of what is contained in the Rogers portion of the Vision 2025 plan, specifically streets and parks, is already included in the city’s proposed 2010 bond issue. Another project, the continued building of the city trail system, is currently being funded through the city and a matching grant from the Walton Family Foundation.
But the sectors also turned their attention toward the future leaders of the city.
“ Engagement of emerging leadership, particularly a concerted effort to plug in future leaders and create a sense of urgency for legacy development, was of the utmost importance to Vision 2025 participants, ” Burns wrote. “ The proposed solution involves the Chamber’s implementation of an Emerging Leaders program which will serve as a springboard for existing programs, such as Leadership Benton County and the Young Professionals, with a particular focus on substantive programming, mentoring and legacy-building. “ Lowell
Many of the suggested improvements for Lowell have one common purpose: creating and maintaining an identity for the often overlooked community.
The most frequently cited idea involved Northwest Arkansas Catholic High School, with sector contributors asking the city to “ open dialogue with the Northwest Arkansas Catholic High School Committee to promote and encourage the high-school development to be completed, (making it ) the only Catholic high school in northwest Arkansas and giving a much needed sense of community and identity to Lowell.
The Vision documents also encourage Lowell to evaluate ways to become a “ green city”; to encourage state and county organizations to open offices within the city; and to find niche markets that are yet unfilled.
The greatest change, however, suggested in the building might be the suggested re-evaluation of the Downtown Lowell location.
“ Just because it was originally near the railroad tracks doesn’t mean it has to be there again, ” sector contributors noted.
The object, alluded to throughout the Vision document, is to encourage people to see Lowell as an asset, rather than just a place between Rogers and Springdale.
“(The ) marketing approach for Lowell must position the city as the center of the market at the very best access point for the majority of northwest Arkansas, ” sector contributors wrote. Regional
Predictably, the regional portion of the Vision 2025 plan is dominated by discussions of transportation, including roads and both airports.
Sector contributors called for the creation of a $ 40 million access road for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, as well as a $ 25 million second level for the concourse. They also requested that the airport secure a “ lowcost carrier” to provide lessexpensive air travel.
Public transportation continues to be a priority, with Vision contributors requesting bus transit along the Interstate 540 corridor, and eventually a Rogers-Lowell circulator-bus and excursion-bus service to deliver people to large-attendance events. Along those lines, sector contributors called for bus-only and highoccupancy-vehicle lanes along I-540 and efforts to encourage “ carpooling, car sharing, parkand-ride lots, telecommuting and shift management” to alleviate traffic demands.
The regional attention was also turned toward the evergrowing Hispanic population. Vision contributors called for the community to “ address issues faced by Hispanics in the area of health care, including outreach, insurance and prevention, ” and stated that “ access to work, school, shopping and entertainment is needed through an improved public transportation network. ” Sector contributors also wanted an emphasis on encouraging minority residents to continue their education beyond high school and on establishing mentorships with existing minority business leaders.
The Vision 2025 plan is available on the Chamber’s Web site at www. rogerslowell. com.
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