By: Brad Phillips
\nVice-President, Marketing Communications
\nRogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce <\/p>\n
The
\nRogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the City of Rogers and the City of Lowell released to the public its Community Assessment<\/i> report, a detailed
\nexamination of the Rogers-Lowell area as a place to live, work and do business.
\n The
\nAssessment<\/i> leverages quantitative and qualitative research conducted during
\nPhase 1 of the six-month, four-phase strategic planning process to update the
\nvision for a new Community Action Plan<\/i>. This Community
\nAssessment<\/i> completes phase two of the project, delivers a comprehensive overview
\nof the trends and challenges facing Rogers-Lowell in 2014 and beyond, and within
\nthe context of residents’ vision for the future and the implications of
\nregional development. The visioning
\nprocess culminates later this year with the development of a Community Action Plan<\/i> and Implementation Guidelines<\/i>.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Assessment<\/i> reveals a community and
\nregion that has experienced rapid population growth, driven predominately by young
\ncouples and their children. These families
\nare attracted to a community that is centrally located within the region, home
\nto relatively high quality public schools and offers comparatively affordable
\nsingle-family housing. The Assessment<\/i> also reveals a place that has
\nseen enormous growth in its Hispanic population; residents want to ensure that Rogers doesn’t
\nbecome a segregated community socioeconomically along racial and ethnic
\nlines. Residents of all races and
\nethnicities indicated that they are proud of the fact that the community is
\nwelcoming and want to ensure that the community is united. <\/b><\/p>\n
The
\ncommunity is also a place that has experienced a great deal of economic transition
\nwithin
\na relatively resilient and growing regional economy. Retail and professional services have emerged
\nwhile manufacturing and distribution have remained a key component of the
\neconomy. Continued growth has given rise to concerns from residents about
\ntraffic, transportation and other issues.
\n“Residents wonder what the future of the community will hold for
\nthem, their children, and their businesses,” said Raymond Burns,
\nPresident\/CEO of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. “They wonder if the next generation will
\nbe attracted to the amenities that are currently available. Will there be an abundant supply of young,
\nskilled workers to support diversified economic growth? What will Downtown Rogers look like in the
\nfuture, and will it be a place that young residents want to visit?”<\/b><\/p>\n
Market
\nStreet Services, based in Atlanta, is facilitating the process for development
\nof the
\n
\nnew, Community Action Plan<\/i>. The Plan<\/i> will build upon the history and
\nsuccess of past
\nstrategic planning efforts such as Vision
\n2025<\/i> community’s future. The development
\nconsists
\nof four phases: Stakeholder Input(complete), Community Assessment(complete), Community
\nAction Plan and Implementation Guidelines<\/i>. The process will last approximately
\nsix months
\nand is set to conclude in July 2014. <\/b><\/p>\n