By: Brad Phillips
Vice-President, Marketing Communications
Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
The
Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the City of Rogers and the City of Lowell released to the public its Community Assessment report, a detailed
examination of the Rogers-Lowell area as a place to live, work and do business.
The
Assessment leverages quantitative and qualitative research conducted during
Phase 1 of the six-month, four-phase strategic planning process to update the
vision for a new Community Action Plan. This Community
Assessment completes phase two of the project, delivers a comprehensive overview
of the trends and challenges facing Rogers-Lowell in 2014 and beyond, and within
the context of residents’ vision for the future and the implications of
regional development. The visioning
process culminates later this year with the development of a Community Action Plan and Implementation Guidelines.
The Assessment reveals a community and
region that has experienced rapid population growth, driven predominately by young
couples and their children. These families
are attracted to a community that is centrally located within the region, home
to relatively high quality public schools and offers comparatively affordable
single-family housing. The Assessment also reveals a place that has
seen enormous growth in its Hispanic population; residents want to ensure that Rogers doesn’t
become a segregated community socioeconomically along racial and ethnic
lines. Residents of all races and
ethnicities indicated that they are proud of the fact that the community is
welcoming and want to ensure that the community is united.
The
community is also a place that has experienced a great deal of economic transition
within
a relatively resilient and growing regional economy. Retail and professional services have emerged
while manufacturing and distribution have remained a key component of the
economy. Continued growth has given rise to concerns from residents about
traffic, transportation and other issues.
“Residents wonder what the future of the community will hold for
them, their children, and their businesses,” said Raymond Burns,
President/CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. “They wonder if the next generation will
be attracted to the amenities that are currently available. Will there be an abundant supply of young,
skilled workers to support diversified economic growth? What will Downtown Rogers look like in the
future, and will it be a place that young residents want to visit?”
Market
Street Services, based in Atlanta, is facilitating the process for development
of the
new, Community Action Plan. The Plan will build upon the history and
success of past
strategic planning efforts such as Vision
2025 community’s future. The development
consists
of four phases: Stakeholder Input(complete), Community Assessment(complete), Community
Action Plan and Implementation Guidelines. The process will last approximately
six months
and is set to conclude in July 2014.