HomeProgress-Index, 06/27/2006
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For decades now, various groups, individuals and government officials have been working to develop a small boat harbor and a thriving waterfront on the Appomattox River in Old Towne Petersburg.
Twice it has been closer to reality than a dream.
The first time was in the early 1990s, when a dredging project came within less than a mile of completion before a suspected contaminant was discovered, placing the project in extended limbo.
The second time is now.
Downtown Petersburg Incorporated has been working for nearly a year to create a working master plan for the city’s downtown area with special emphasis on the harbor. They first shared their plans with the public in January, where an enthusiastic crowd of 300 showed up to hear the plan.
What they heard is this: Downtown Petersburg Inc. is trying to bring a Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) from the American Institute of Architects to the city to help create a vision for downtown and the harbor.
Community input is key to the R/UDAT process, which sends a team of planners and architects from the American Institute of Architects to work with a steering committee of local representatives to create a plan.
R/UDAT has been employed in more than 135 communities for a variety of reasons, “including urban growth and land use, inner-city neighborhoods, downtowns, environmental issues, waterfront development, and commercial revitalization,” according to the AIA web site. “A R/UDAT can help you to respond to these kinds of issues, develop a vision for a better future for your community, and implement a strategy that will produce results.”
The process works, claims the AIA, because of the expertise of R/UDAT members, their objectivity toward a project and public participation. To pay for R/UDAT, whose work is primarily pro bono, DPI must raise approximately $50,000, an amount they feel confident that the community will support.
They’re also pleased with the public’s interest level so far, but with the R/UDAT team of planners scheduled to be in town Nov. 2-7, the project has come to a crucial juncture. That’s why they’ve called a town hall meeting for tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Petersburg Regional Art Center, 132 N. Sycamore St.
At the meeting, DPI will share a schedule of key dates as the November R/UDAT team visit approaches. Also, they’ll be seeking volunteers and holding a town hall style discussion to hear ideas from the public.
This is your chance to get involved in one of Petersburg’s most important economic development initiatives. It is vital the city create a waterfront presence, as the positive effects will ripple throughout the community, the region and the state. The best ideas are almost always the product of many people coming up with one or two key elements. Anyone and everyone who cares about the city of Petersburg and its ongoing revitalization efforts should plan to attend tonight and stay involved until the harbor is bustling with boat activity, businesses are thriving and people everywhere want to experience Petersburg’s greatest success story.
