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Partnership
for Prosperity: Identifying the Best Civic Amenities for the Future of
the Sacramento Region
 Quality
of life becomes increasingly essential to a region's business climate.
By some estimates, two-thirds of college-educated adults age 25-34
decide first where to live, and then where to work. In this scenario,
life quality determines the location choice of the so-called "creative
class."
Civic amenities – arts centers, sports and entertainment
venues, parks, museums and the like – have proven to
effectively enhance both quality of life and regional economies.
Regional leaders suggest that the Sacramento Region’s civic
amenities should accurately reflect Sacramento's role as
California’s economic and government center – and
its shift towards a more cosmopolitan identity.
The Civic Amenities initiative aims to:
- Inventory the region's existing
civic amenities through an inclusive, from-the-ground-up survey of
residents and stakeholder groups across the region;
- Develop a proactive, realistic
"wish list" for the Sacramento Region's next generation of amenities;
and
- Explore creation of a unified
funding strategy that will help move this new, grassroots "menu" of
amenities closer to reality.
 With
support from AIA150’s Blueprint for America program, AIA
Central Valley (established 1942, with membership located in
17
California counties) focuses on supporting the collaboration with
partner organizations, local citizens, and community leaders to plan
for and create a unified funding strategy for civic infrastructure in
the six-county Sacramento Region. These civic improvements -- spanning
entertainment, arts, sports, science, recreation and cultural
attractions -- will help create vibrant downtowns, enhance quality of
life, provide new economic opportunities, and build the Region's
international reputation.
The method includes an inventory of all existing and in-the-pipeline
amenities from 27 jurisdictions in the region that are largely unaware
of each other’s facilities. This region-wide snapshot of
current development status and opportunities forms a basis for
gathering input on priorities for new projects. From there, AIA Central
Valley and partners will research funding mechanisms, and
stimulate
collaboration among current and potential partners to create a solution
that best fits the region.
The
“Experiences” exhibit
In Fall 2007, Valley Vision conducted focus groups throughout the
region to gain insight as to what experiences Central Valley
communities currently enjoy, what amenities they lack, and what to
include in a traveling exhibit in order to stimulate meaningful
interaction. The traveling exhibit, called
“Experiences,” will circulate through each county
to gain broad community input. The following items/categories
exemplify experiences and places conveyed in the exhibit, so that
participants can show their preferences and support by directing
regional “faux dollars” towards a particular
amenity or category.
What we currently enjoy: Some of the major themes to come out of the
focused conversations around what we currently enjoy were the American
River Parkway and our outdoor recreational opportunities, amenities
with historical significance, and our arts & culture scene.
 Regional
enhancements: Focus group participants discussed the potential for a
downtown River Walk (shown here, the San Antonio River Walk), Capitol
Mall, state-of-the-art civic centers, and enhancing our transit
linkages, i.e. allowing bus tours in certain areas and developing town
centers at or near light rail stops.
What’s missing: Focus groups identified missing amenities,
including public squares (shown here, Portland’s Pioneer
Square) or town centers, public markets, an arts incubator, and
wellness centers.
Additional feedback that came up consistently in the focused
conversations centered on a regional marketing strategy.
Overall participants felt we have many wonderful amenities and
experiences to be enjoyed in the region, however, the lack of a central
management group that could help brand the region and promote our the
region’s civic amenities could really raise the awareness of
what the region has to offer.
The interactive “Experiences” exhibit travels
throughout the six-county Sacramento Region, in a range of
venues including art walks and/or galleries, colleges, malls,
and community events in order to gain broad input from a large
cross-section of the Central Valley region.
For more information please visit the Partnership for Prosperity
website http://www.valleyvision.org/partnership/New-civicamenities.html.
View
all Blueprint Initiatives |
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