Community members interested
in participating or learning about
Envision 2035 can contact
Cassie Davis 503-727-3922 or
[email protected]
For project updates, visit
www.silverton.or.us/silverton2035
By Kristine Thomas
What will Silverton look like in 2035?
That is a question community members will be helping to answer in the next several months. The city of Silverton is asking the residents, business owners and other key stakeholders to share long-term goals and aspirations for the city for the Envision 2035, a community project.
The project is expected to be completed by June 30. A project team from HDR Inc. in Portland is talking with community members and groups to get ideas and directions.
The plan is to:
Identify and analyze emerging trends and community issues;
Articulate core community values and identity;
Create a mission and vision statement that represents a general community vision for the next 20 years; and,
Create a strategic plan for the Silverton for the next 10 years.
The hope is community members sharing ideas will help create a road map for city councilors for decision making now and in the future.
Two community meetings were held to provide community members an opportunity to get involved. At the Nov. 21 meeting, about 30 people divided into groups to discuss one of three focus topics: How we connect and coordinate; How we prosper; and How we thrive and care.
At the Dec. 1 meeting, community members discussed: How we learn and create; How we preserver and celebrate; and How we plan and improve.
HDR Inc., the consultant on the project, is led by Doug Zenn, Cassie Davis and Steven Ames.
“It’s your vision of what you want you city to be,” Zenn said. “We are just your guides in developing the vision.”
Members of the Silverton City Council a;so attended the meetings but did not provide input or ideas.
“We are here to observe and listen,” City Councilor Jim Sears said.
From listening to the discussions at both meetings, Sears said he learned there is a great deal of talent in Silverton.
“These are people with various backgrounds and ideas reflecting on what they want for their community in the future,” Sears said. “This is not about what the city council wants for Silverton but what the residents want.”
Ideas at the Dec. 1 meeting included keeping Silverton’s small town feel, filling empty storefronts, building senior living communities, supporting local farmers, providing safe walking and biking paths, defining what kind of growth the city wants, providing more recreational opportunities and welcoming change but in an organized fashion.
Bonnie Logan and Barbara Coyle would like to see more housing options for senior citizens.
Denise Pasquini wants to help find a balance with Silverton continuing to be a quaint, safe, charming town while still having some growth.
Ames, of the consulting team, said people have three choices to make about their future.
“You can let the future happen, wonder what happened or make the future happen,” he said, adding HDR’s role is to help the community think strategically. “For the future you want, you have to plan to make it happen,” Ames said.
