The ReNewton Project has set dates for two community retreats and seven small group receptions in April to provide opportunities for resident input and discussion on subjects of interest to the community’s future.
The ReNewton Project is a Newton-North Newton initiative that will result in a new joint comprehensive plan to guide growth of the community for the next two decades.
The goal of the meetings is to create community priorities that will guide public officials when making decisions regarding traditional issues such as infrastructure, zoning, utilities, transportation, commercial development and housing, as well as quality-of-life issues such as parks and recreation, technology, sustainability, health care and schools.
“We truly want and need a diverse set of people attending these meetings,” Newton Mayor Racquel Thiesen said. “We want as many young people there as old, as many people who grew up here as people who have moved here in recent years. This is your process. If you want a voice in where this community is headed over the next 20 years, this is your chance to be heard.”
Community residents are invited to attend one of two Reimagine Newton community retreats:
• April 6 — 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — Bethel College Chapel, Administration Building, North Newton
• April 10 — 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. — Trail Room at Chisholm Trail Center, 601 S.E. 36th St., Newton
The following small group receptions will be an opportunity for residents to talk more deeply about topics that have been identified as key to the community’s future:
• Revisit Newton: Creating a Visitor-Friendly Community — 2 to 3:30 p.m. April 15 at Red Coach Inn, 1301 E. First St. in Newton. Open to anyone interested in tourism and hospitality.
• Reconsider Commerce: Reacting to the Changing Economy — 4:30 to 6 p.m. April 15 in the Prairie Room at Prairie Harvest, 601 N. Main St. in Newton. Appropriate for the local business community.
• Rediscover Newton’s Many Cultures: Embracing Our Community’s Diverse Heritage — 7 to 8:30 p.m. April 15 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 415 S. Ash St. in Newton. Open to anyone interested in issues of race and culture.
• Reconsider Physical and Mental Challenges: Anticipating Needs and Exploring Quality of Life Issues — 10 to 11:30 a.m. April 16 at Newton Public Library, 720 N. Oak St. Open to anyone interested in issues facing people with physical or mental disabilities.
• Redesign the Future: Creating a Cool Community — 1:30 to 3 p.m. April 16 at McKinley Administration Center, 308 E. First St. in Newton. Only open to people 18 and younger.
