2008 Neighborhood Roundtable: Tools for Renewal

Changing fall colors, cooler temperatures and a new year on its way inspire thoughts of renewal in personal lives and communities. Making changes in neighborhoods requires skills and talents that not everyone may possess. Designing more sustainable and engaging neighborhoods, assessing neighborhood quality of life and working with City officials will be some of the skills taught to neighbors at a series of workshops and planning studios organized by the City of Madison, sponsored by MGE, and held at Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive, Saturday November 8, 8:00am to 12:15pm. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz will kickoff this fourth biennial Neighborhood Roundtable by sharing important progress on sustainability in our neighborhoods, the Neighborhood Indicators Project, the Downtown Plan and the rewrite of the Zoning Code. "Attending the Roundtable is one important step that neighbors can take to learn how to make our neighborhoods more sustainable, creative and inclusive places," stated Mayor Cieslewicz. "Collaborating with each other can create an energy and momentum that helps displace negative behaviors like crime and other safety concerns. Learning the signs of decline and tools and techniques to increase sustainability, retain and improve neighborhood character and become more inclusive of all ages, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds will help create better conditions for everyone." The half-day training event will feature workshops on how neighborhoods can partner with and institute neighborhood-based programs to address sustainability, discuss leading neighborhood indicators to measure changes, and brainstorm on how to work collectively to involve residents to take action. Participants will learn strategies and tools that they can use in coordination with City planning professionals to take charge of maintaining and improving neighborhood character and design, working collaboratively with all residents in the neighborhood and improving the livability, neighborliness, and involvement of residents. The 2008 Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable is scheduled for Saturday, November 8 at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive, 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. MGE financial support allows this learning event to be free of charge to neighborhood leaders. Registration information is located at: http://www.cityofmadison.com/neighborhoods/NeighborhoodConf2008/index.c…, or by calling 608-267-8727. ###

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