Grand Rapids Reporter

Community Master Plan Launch Party takes place March 15

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Community Master Plan (CMP) Launch Party, canceled February 22 due to a snowstorm, is back on. The rescheduled CMP First Ward event now takes place Wednesday, March 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harrison Park Academy, 1440 Davis Ave. NW. The free family-friendly event features dinner along with interactive activities.

To register for the March 15 event, RSVP HERE. Reservations are not required but desired – an RSVP will help secure the proper amount of food and materials. For those unable to attend, BridgetoourFuture.com contains various CMP activities and ways to engage.

The launch parties are an essential part of the Community Master Plan process. Each helps gather residents' perspectives and input to help create a vision for the future. At the first two February CMP Launch Parties, 230 residents provided their feedback on the future of Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids is working with Planning NEXT, a nationally recognized municipal planning consultant, to create a CMP that captures the community’s vision for the next 20 years. The CMP is the blueprint that will guide how the city grows and develops.

“We believe the people who choose to build a life in our city every day have the vision and the best ideas for what Grand Rapids should be like in the future,” Mayor Bliss said. “Whether we’re talking about housing, equity, mobility, environmental justice, economic development or the overall look and feel of our neighborhoods, our residents know best. We’ve already heard several great ideas from many during our first two engagement sessions and we look forward to hearing even more of them on March 15.

“We’ve branded this the ‘Bridge to Our Future’ campaign because bridges unite—not divide—people,” Bliss said. “We want everyone to recognize the role we all play in uniting our present to our future. We’re asking all residents of Grand Rapids–of all backgrounds and points of view–to please join together for our future by bringing your ideas to our final launch event.”

There will be additional opportunities, with new activities, for public input during the next phase of the Community Master Plan process in the spring. For more information on the Community Master Plan visit BridgetoourFuture.com.

Original source can be found here.