Build A Better Grinnell 2030 Hosted a Community Information Session and Celebration on September 24
GRINNELL, IOWA — Over the past two years, Build A Better Grinnell 2030 (BABG) has been hard at work, gathering input from residents across the community to craft a vision for Grinnell’s next decade. BABG results were shared with more than 60 people at a Community Information Session and Celebration on Tuesday, September 24 at the Drake Community Library. Becky Neal, a Mayflower Community resident, commented “It’s wonderful to see how many Grinnell residents are invested in their community and willing to spend their evening discussing how to build a better Grinnell.”
The research results that form the foundation of the visioning project are the culmination of countless conversations, surveys, and meetings with Grinnellians of all ages and backgrounds. Key focus areas identified include 1) increasing the variety of restaurants, 2) improving the quality of drinking water, 3) enhancing K-12 buildings and infrastructure, 4) expanding mental health care services, 5) improving road maintenance, 6) reducing racism, and 7) addressing the need for higher wages or lower prices.
Discussions centered around how the community can collectively make the ideas and insights from the research a reality. The workshop-style event allowed participants to dive deeper into the results, share their thoughts, and be part of building solutions. The evening highlighted the discussions, findings, and action items shaped by two years of gathering the community’s ideas, hopes, and visions. It also celebrated the collaborative work that has gone into this participatory process, offering the opportunity for attendees to connect in a casual, engaging setting.
“As a past participant in this project, I was encouraged to see many familiar faces and overflow seating at this event,” said Rachel Arseneault, Grinnell resident and realtor for Ramsey-Weeks Real Estate. “The discussions in my work group were especially productive, as the representative from our key focus area was well versed in the research and current conditions to help guide the conversation; I feel rejuvenated and ready to move forward.”
Visit buildabettergrinnell.org to download the report summary and subscribe to emails to stay informed on next steps. Or follow @buildabettergrinnell on Facebook and Instagram.
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About Build a Better Grinnell
Build a Better Grinnell is a non-partisan, USDA-funded effort to assess Grinnell’s strengths, needs, and vision for people who live and work in the community, as well as those who rely on resources within Grinnell. Through a collaborative approach based on public input and engagement, this project identifies strong community qualities and prioritizes areas in need of improvement to enhance the quality of life found here. The project is guided by a diverse set of community members representing 20+ public and private organizations and a broad range of resources. For additional information on the project, next steps, and how to get involved, visit our website at buildabettergrinnell.org
