Locals create plan to enhance
area
By Heather Mangold
City
Editor
A 20-year action plan to further better the Greater
Lafayette community was presented to the public on Thursday.
In 1997, members of the community came together
to develop a strategic plan that would enhance the Lafayette and West
Lafayette communities. On Thursday, the completion of that plan was
released to the public.
John Corey, Vision 2020 implementation steering
committee chair, said, "We invite everyone to join the effort to make
an outstanding community an even better place to live and work in the
decades ahead."
According to creators of the plan, Vision 2020
is consensus-based, inclusive and evolving. As a large project, it is
expected to take years to complete.
"This is a multi-year plan," said Corey. "It's
going to take a long time to get from point A to point Z."
Vision 2020 strives to make the economy of Greater
Lafayette more prosperous with better employment opportunities and a
well-trained work force.
In addition to making the Greater Lafayette area
a developing community, plan creators said they would like to encourage
and assist the development of greater integration of Purdue, according
to objective three of the plan.
Vice president for University relations at Purdue,
Joe Bennett, said Vision 2020 would do just that.
"I think Purdue's primary interest is that this
will make Lafayette a better community in which to live. It improves
the economy and that has to help the University," said Bennett. "When
we're recruiting faculty and staff and when we're recruiting students,
we're asking them to make this their home."
Corey agreed that Vision 2020 would make Purdue
a more appealing place for future University staff, faculty and students.
"It's going to make the community a better place,"
said Corey. "Purdue is already an integral part of the community. If
this makes them better, it makes us better."
Rep. Sheila Klinker, D-27th, said she agreed that
the Purdue community was an asset to Lafayette.
"I think it (Vision 2020) will be a very viable
asset to where Purdue wants to go — to the next level," said Klinker.
"It's a real step forward."
In order to take the Greater Lafayette are to "the
next level", Vision 2020 leaders are planning to implement an education
roundtable to research ways to achieve more diversity within the educational
system. To do so, Vision 2020 leaders would conduct a community needs
assessment, consider changing boundaries for school corporations, increase
media coverage of educational events and maintain a database of educational
resources, among other things. As an educational institution, Purdue
could take part in this branch of the plan's efforts.
"We are appreciating the nice amenities that we
have and Purdue is one of them," said Klinker.
In fact, several Purdue affiliates, including Bennett
and Klinker, worked to develop the plan.
In addition, the plan strives to ensure the quality
of the environment in Greater Lafayette. The plan states that the growing
amount of solid waste within the community would be addressed. Vision
2020 also aims to make better use of fossil fuels and alternative energy.
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