A More Walkable Newaygo?

October meetings to explore options

From the Newaygo Economic Development Office:

                             I Am Newaygo!  Reinventing a Great City  

   I Am Newaygo! is a local city development  initiative centered around City stakeholders and their dreams for the future of our City.  The underlying principles  of I Am Newaygo!  Include:

     ➤ A city’s future needs to be designed using an intentional, inclusive process.
     ➤ The city’s physical design needs to reflect the needs and desires of its stakeholders.
     ➤ The ongoing results of I Am Newaygo! will be a comprehensive and clear recommendation to the City of Newaygo, for inclusion in the city’s Master Planning process, and ultimately for inclusion in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan and budget.

What is a stakeholder?

If you are a city resident,  rent or own property in the city limits, are involved in a neighborhood group, business organization, church, school, arts, athletic organization - you have a “stake” in our future: And that means YOU are a stakeholder!

Does stakeholder engagement really work?

Yes- This process, sometimes referred to as a “Public Participation Plan”  has been used extensively in West Michigan - specifically in Grand Rapids and surrounding communities, which has resulted in a healthy, vibrant, balanced community and business environment. If you  want Newaygo to be a regional , even national model of the best a rural small town can possibly be, then  I Am Newaygo!  needs your participation.

How can I get involved?  

I Am Newaygo! Starts in October 2017, with two meetings centered around a single topic: Pedestrian and Bicycle safety, connectivity, and infrastructure, otherwise know as “walkability”.   
Do you walk or bike our city? Where, when, and why? Where do you feel safe?  Where is it impossible to walk or bike?  What needs to be improved? Are there hidden gems that need to be developed?  If serious improvements were made, would you likely walk or bike further, and more often?  We have good news!

The city has contracted international walkability expert Jeff Speck to assist us in creating a buildable plan to make living, working, recreating, without the requirement of automobile ownership. Now we need real help from those who know the lay of the land- you!  For stakeholders in walkability, the first two meetings, which are identical in content, are as follows:

Saturday October 14th, at 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Monday October 16th, at 6:00 -7:30 PM
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Location: Both meetings will be held at the “Old Museum Building”, located along the Muskegon River, on River Front Park.  Why there - of all places? Because that beautiful, historically important riverfront building needs to be reinvented, just like Newaygo!  It's not heated, so dress appropriately - seating will be provided.  Suzanne Schulz, Director of Planning for the City of Grand Rapids, will be facilitating the conversation, and she has years of experience to benefit our efforts.

Who is behind I Am Newaygo! ?

Ultimately, the City of Newaygo is behind I Am Newaygo!  The City’s Newaygo Economic Development Organization has designed I Am Newaygo! to assist in connecting stakeholders to their elected and appointed leaders.  NEDO is currently chaired by Scott Faulkner, and the initial Walkability Committee is chaired by Krista Looman.