[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Columbia Vision Commission invites public to remaining RE-Vision sessions

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Maurice Harris
Chair, Columbia Vision Commission
(573) 823-5245

Toni Messina
Civic Relations Officer
(573) 874-7660
    
           


Columbia Vision Commission invites public to remaining ‘RE-Vision’ sessions

COLUMBIA, MO (May 14, 2015) - The next opportunity for citizens to advise the Columbia Vision Commission is set for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, in the meeting rooms at the Activity and Recreation Center (ARC), 1701 W. Ash.

This is the third in a series of four monthly sessions to look at progress made with “Imagine Columbia’s Future,” the community vision prepared by citizens and accepted by the City Council. 

Commission Chair Maurice Harris said, “This is an opportunity to look at progress made and see where we need to go from here. We’re inviting citizens to talk about health, social services and affordable housing; community pride; and arts and culture.”

On April 22, commissioners heard public comments relating to the future of education, community facilities, parks and transportation. 


*Education – Columbia needs more free meeting space; people and community organizations need to stay connected to keep the school system healthy; fragile families need wrap-around services like transportation and mental health service and information; keep the city’s CARE job experience program going; educational outcomes should include healthy living and healthy relationships.

*Community facilities – Probably will see more public – private partnerships to help fund streets, utilities and public buildings; the Police and Public Works departments should cooperate, through road design and speed limit changes, to prevent and respond to traffic crashes.

*Parks and recreation – Consider more emphasis on northeast area of town; parks, too, may require public – private partnerships; Columbia could use another ARC-type facility; parks and trails will continue to attract the “millennial” generation, who move to places where they want to live, not to places where they want to work; expect to see more efforts to attract sports tourism and to host trail programming and events.

*Transportation – Need more focus on sidewalks; streets should be safe for all users, including drivers, cyclists, children and people in wheelchairs; focus on maintenance instead of expansion; public transit promotes civic participation by all; need more pervious pavement.


Public comments will be taken at one more meeting on June 22. The Vision Commission also is collecting comments online at http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/visioning/. 

“Ultimately,” Harris said, “The goal of the RE-Visioning process is to present the City Council an updated Vision created from the input from public hearings and comments. All voices should be heard, and we hope for wide interest and participation.”

In 2006, Columbia and Boone County citizens started working on a shared community vision for the future. Two years later, and with the participation of more than 1,000 people, the citizen-led Visioning Committee presented “Imagine Columbia’s Future” to the City Council, with the intent that the whole community work on making Columbia “a connected, informed and engaged community.”

The City Council created the Columbia Vision Commission in 2008. Its purpose is to track, monitor and otherwise assist with implementing the Vision.



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