How exciting to meet with people you admire, share a vision and receive responses that they not only like the idea, but are willing to step up to help make it a reality! I've had some amazing conversations with potential board members over the last few weeks and all but one have given me an enthusiastic yes!
While I've certainly been offered recommendations, cautionary conversations and some excellent advice about important areas to consider in the development process, I haven't talked to a single person who has said "no" or "not interested". There is a great groundswell to build community engagement and develop a shared vision. I am so excited to get the details in place so we can begin the conversations on a community-wide level.
The rest of the week and most of next are focused on the details, budgets, board responsibility documents, policies and procedures and by-laws. It feels slow, but it's important work and must be in place in time for our first board meeting.
Exciting times here in Redmond and they are only going to get better!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
And so the conversations begin...
I've spent the last 7 months talking to people in the city (and outside of the city) about the Foundation, asking a lot of questions and learning what is exciting, what is boring and what people think is needed in Redmond.
I'm finding that connections are beginning and there are going to be a lot of opportunities to begin discussions on what can happen when a motivated group of individuals has a vision and starts a conversation about possibilities!
I just finished meeting with Carolyn Hope (a very appropriate name for a City Planner) today! She told me the story of the beginnings of Redmond's newest/oldest currently existing and hopefully soon-to-be fully designed and sanctioned bike jump park.
This "park" started as a dirt lot. The local kids saw opportunity and started building jumps. For almost 20 years this open lot has been changed and transformed (sometimes daily) into new and exciting opportunities to challenge BMX skills and practice jumps. The city is looking at the park, surrounding area and potential needs to build trails and clean up the city owned land. Officially the space is Redmond Water Utility District property. What I find is so amazing is that the city hasn't shut down the kids (which to some administrations could easily be seen as a nuisance at best and a hazard and potential liability at worst). Carolyn is working with the kids to see how the City can partner and create a designed and safe bike park. Again, this is where it gets interesting. Instead of just taking it to the adults, designers and making decisions, a coalition of kids, parents and experts has been assembled to decide how best to use the space, make it (relatively) safe and interesting to the kids.
The group has taken field trips to other bike parks, talked with the Mountain Bike Alliance and will be reporting possibilities to City Council.
They are working with professional bike jump designers and will be doing much of the labor themselves (with the help of some heavy equipment owned & operated by the City).
This is true community engagement at it's finest and I applaud the City for recognizing both the need and the enthusiasm and embracing this potential park as a true community project!
This is just one project happening in the city and I'm sure over the next few months I'll learn of many more, but I am so proud of our city (and our City) that youth are recognized and appreciated as the community members that they are and given the opportunity to step through this process of planning and design.
Next up will be the fundraising and that's where the Foundation will step in, not to do the work, but to guide and support the kids as they figure out how to make their newly designed park a reality!
I'm finding that connections are beginning and there are going to be a lot of opportunities to begin discussions on what can happen when a motivated group of individuals has a vision and starts a conversation about possibilities!
I just finished meeting with Carolyn Hope (a very appropriate name for a City Planner) today! She told me the story of the beginnings of Redmond's newest/oldest currently existing and hopefully soon-to-be fully designed and sanctioned bike jump park.
This "park" started as a dirt lot. The local kids saw opportunity and started building jumps. For almost 20 years this open lot has been changed and transformed (sometimes daily) into new and exciting opportunities to challenge BMX skills and practice jumps. The city is looking at the park, surrounding area and potential needs to build trails and clean up the city owned land. Officially the space is Redmond Water Utility District property. What I find is so amazing is that the city hasn't shut down the kids (which to some administrations could easily be seen as a nuisance at best and a hazard and potential liability at worst). Carolyn is working with the kids to see how the City can partner and create a designed and safe bike park. Again, this is where it gets interesting. Instead of just taking it to the adults, designers and making decisions, a coalition of kids, parents and experts has been assembled to decide how best to use the space, make it (relatively) safe and interesting to the kids.
The group has taken field trips to other bike parks, talked with the Mountain Bike Alliance and will be reporting possibilities to City Council.
They are working with professional bike jump designers and will be doing much of the labor themselves (with the help of some heavy equipment owned & operated by the City).
This is true community engagement at it's finest and I applaud the City for recognizing both the need and the enthusiasm and embracing this potential park as a true community project!
This is just one project happening in the city and I'm sure over the next few months I'll learn of many more, but I am so proud of our city (and our City) that youth are recognized and appreciated as the community members that they are and given the opportunity to step through this process of planning and design.
Next up will be the fundraising and that's where the Foundation will step in, not to do the work, but to guide and support the kids as they figure out how to make their newly designed park a reality!
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