2,500 ideas to make Middletown a 21st Century All-American city
Ed Richter
Staff Writer
10:15
p.m Wednesday, March 8, 2017 Middletown
MIDDLETOWN
“What if Middletown….?”
That’s the
question hundreds of people have pondered as they shared their ideas and ways
to improve Middletown
as a place to work, live, and play to become “a premier, 21st century
All-American city.”
For the past
two years, the “What If Middletown” group spearheaded by Middletown Moving
Forward and the Community Building Institute along with numerous other local
organizations, have been reaching out to all sectors of the community gathering
input.
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Smith, executive director of Middletown Moving Forward, and Karen Maney of the
Community Building Institute, shared those thoughts and ideas to Middletown
City Council at its Tuesday meeting.
Through
surveys and community conversations and forums as well as additional analysis
by volunteer work groups, it envisioned Middletown
as a “community with civic pride and a welcoming doorstep; diverse and
connected neighbors; opportunities for workers and businesses in the new
economy; and with access to quality arts, entertainment, education, housing,
healthcare, and recreation.”
The vision of
becoming a premier, 21st century All-American city came from more than 2,500
ideas generated during the process that were further refined by priority,
feasibility and impact by six work teams.
The vision
plan was organized into six areas: arts, entertainment, and recreation;
education; health, wellness and safety; housing and neighborhoods; jobs,
economy and commerce; and transportation and infrastructure.
The common theme
throughout the six areas were lifestyle, economic development and civic pride.
The plan also
included priority steps and key community partners that were identified in each
of these areas. In addition, there were various metrics identified to help measure
progress in achieving the plan.
“Some
communities allow the future to happen to them, some communities recognize the
future is something they can create. These communities take the time to produce
a vision of the future they desire and employ a process to help them achieve
their goals,” Maney said. “Successful communities understand that the things
that they dream about will only come true through great effort, determination
and team work. The city of Middletown
is one of those communities.”
Among the ideas
suggested to achieve this were:
- opening
a dog park and other community-wide gathering places
- recruiting
and hiring a diversity of teachers for city schools
- eliminating
bullying in schools
- having
a top-notch education system from pre-school through college
- developing
strategies to reduce food deserts for senior citizens and lower income
families with limited transportation
- seamlessly
connecting the riverfront and the downtown as well as creating activities
and entertainment events
- providing
more dining options with restaurants offering healthy choices, ethnic
eateries, and ice cream shops
- continuing
community events such as Light Up Middletown and the Ohio Challenge Hot
Air Balloon event
- providing
more youth activities in their neighborhoods
- deploying
more resources to help those with drug addiction
- increasing
police patrols and neighborhood watches as well as using cameras and other
technologies to deter crime
- building
a community swimming pool
Having
well-paved roadways and the infrastructure to support quality housing and
commercial development was also key area in the report.
“This report
is not to sit on a shelf,” Smith said.
Among the
next steps, Smith said a transition committee is sharing the document with
various Middletown
organizations seeking endorsements and understanding of activities as well as
monitoring progress. She also asked council to take a month to review and
comment on the document as well as align resources and planning to priorities
identified.