envision hutch results
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The priorities identified, ideas shared, and projects developed through the Envision Hutch listening tour September 2014 - August 2015.TRANSCRIPT
The priorities identified, ideas shared, and projects developed through the Envision Hutch listening campaign September 2014 - August 2015
The Results
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 1
August 2015
When we started the Envision Hutch listening campaign in September 2014, we didn’t know who
would participate, what we would hear, or what we would do with what we learned. That said,
we are grateful to our listening partners who came on the journey with us and agreed to help
us process the findings.
Now, we’re pleased to share with you the results of Envision Hutch, gathered from priority walls,
ihearthutch.org, and the Unconference. As you will see in the following pages, several priorities
held true across the age groups and formats.
The first: jobs and business development. The county’s youth want jobs they can stay or come
back for, and the general population want more job options, particularly primary employers.
Other top priorities centered on quality of life issues, including community pride and
beautification, built environment, rehabilitation of empty buildings and homes, and community
building across factions. There seemed to be a call to appreciate, care for, and build on the
amenities that we already have, with an emphasis on historic preservation and downtown
revitalization.
Also, education. We heard that we need to prepare the next generation for STEM careers and
engage them civically from a young age to encourage ongoing involvement in the community.
We know some organizations are addressing these priorities already and that they are adaptive
challenges that take time and patience to see progress on. Yet we also learned through our
experience with the Unconference that there are many others in the community with out-of-
the-box ideas and passion, just waiting to find their place in the conversation.
For our part at the Community Foundation, we are going to continue to look for ways to move
people beyond wanting to doing, to offer other opportunities for citizen-chosen mini-grants for
community projects, and to continually evaluate our community leadership to ensure we—or
another organization—are addressing the priority issues and planning for the future.
As a community leader, we invite you, too, to process these findings with us and think about
how your organization can use them, build on them, and invest in them to help make Hutchinson
and Reno County an even better place to live, work, and play. Please contact us if we can help
you in any way.
Aubrey Abbott Patterson, President & CEO Kari Mailloux, Program Officer
[email protected], 620.663.5293 [email protected], 620.663.5293
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 2
THANK YOU TO OUR
LISTENING PARTNERS
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR
RENO COUNTY?
COLLECTED AT ENVISION HUTCH, 9.25.2014 191 PARTICIPANTS
TOP CURRENT PRIORITIES
1. Rehab or demolish abandoned properties
2. Shopping local
3. Downtown revitalization
4. Jobs
5. Retail development
6. Performing arts
7. Festivals/community events
8. Primary employers
9. Animal welfare
10. Bike routes & facilities/Recreation activities (tie)
Arts & Entertainment
Environment
Housing
Transportation
Food/Drink
Youth DevelopmentHealth
Education
Other
Business
Poverty
CURRENT PRIORITY (MAIN CATEGORIES)
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 4
WHAT SHOULD RENO COUNTY
SPEND ITS TIME AND RESOURCES
ON IN THE NEXT DECADE?
COLLECTED AT ENVISION HUTCH, 9.25.2014 191 PARTICIPANTS
TOP PRIORITIES FOR NEXT DECADE
1. Jobs
2. Career & technical education
3. Downtown revitalization
4. Shopping local
5. Primary employers
6. Rehab or demolish abandoned properties
7. Historic preservation
8. STEM education
9. Recreation activities
10. (Six way tie)
Arts & Entertainment
Environment
Housing
TransportationFood/Drink
Youth Development
Health
Education
Other
Business
Poverty
PRIORITIES IN NEXT DECADE (MAIN CATEGORIES)
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 5
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Youth Sports
Wellness Education & Programming
Water Usage
Utility/Rent Assistance
Trails
Tourism
Suburban Development
Street Maintenance
STEM Education
Sidewalks
Shopping Local
Safety in Schools
Retail Development
Rehab or Demolish Abandoned Properties
Recreation Activities
Quality, Affordable Childcare
Public Art
Primary Employers
Performing Arts
Parking
Nightlife
Neighborhood Identification/Organization
Movie Theaters
More Single-family Home Development
More Multi-family Properties
Mixed-use Development
Mentorship
Mental Health Care
Mass Transit
Local Restaurants
Literacy
Land Conservation
Jobs
Infill of vacant lots
Hunger
Homelessness
Historic Preservation
Green Space
Generational Poverty
Flooding
Fine Dining
Fine Arts
Festivals/Community Events
Farming Community
Faith/Religion
Entrepreneurship
Elder Care
Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation
Downtown Revitilization
Crime Reduction
Continuing Education
Complete Streets
Community Gardens
Chronic Disease Prevention
Career & Technical Education
Bullying
Birth to 5 Early Learning Opportunities
Bike Routes & Facilities
Beautification
Arts Education
Animal Welfare
Al Fresco Dining
After-school Programming
Access to Parks
Access to Health Care
Access to Fresh/Local Food
Hutchinson/Reno County Priorities
Current Priority Priority in Next Decade
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 6
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR
RENO COUNTY?
COLLECTED AT COMMUNITIES THAT CARE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT, 1.19.2015 59 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS RENO COUNTY
TOP CURRENT PRIORITIES
1. Sports
2. Animal welfare
3. Drug use prevention
4. School safety
5. School bullying
6. Jobs for kids
7. Volunteering
8. Electives like the arts
9. After school programs
10. Community involvement
TOP PRIORITIES FOR NEXT DECADE
1. School bullying
2. Drug use prevention
3. Sports
4. School safety
5. Animal welfare
6. Jobs for kids
7. Volunteering
8. Electives like the arts
9. Common Core
10. After school programs
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 7
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR
RENO COUNTY?
ANSWERS BY YOUTH PHILANTHROPY COUNCIL, 11.16.2014 24 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS RENO COUNTY
GROUP 1
Top current priorities for Hutchinson and Reno County:
1. Job opportunities
2. Increasing youth generation involvement
3. Creating a more attractive environment
4. Increase awareness for education
5. Focus on ALL Reno County
6. Projects that increase quality of life (ex: bowling alley)
What our community should spend its most time and resources on in the next 10
years that would make you want to stay or move back one day:
Building our community
GROUP 2
Top current priorities for Hutchinson and Reno County:
1. Education (focus and awareness)
2. Pride in Reno County
3. Recreation
4. Safety
5. Healthy lifestyle
6. Marketplace (jobs and opportunities)
What our community should spend its most time and resources on in the next 10
years that would make you want to stay or move back one day:
Marketplace
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 8
GROUP 3
Top current priorities for Hutchinson and Reno County:
1. Job offerings to people in poverty
2. Industrialize
3. Make Hutch appealing
4. Expand youth opportunities
5. Increasing pride in homeownership
6. Help youth work ethic
What our community should spend its most time and resources on in the next 10
years that would make you want to stay or move back one day:
Make Hutch appealing to bring in industries
GROUP 4
Top current priorities for Hutchinson and Reno County:
1. Education in the community
2. Businesses and jobs
3. Publicity
4. Focus on youth
5. Getting more involved
6. Safety in the community
What our community should spend its most time and resources on in the next 10
years that would make you want to stay or move back one day:
Go back to roots/businesses and jobs being stable; using the life line in the
town to help keep the town alive
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 9
HOW CAN WE MAKE HUTCHINSON
& RENO COUNTY EVEN BETTER?
IDEAS FROM IHEARTHUTCH.ORG APPROX. 200 PARTICIPANTS
MOST POPULAR IDEAS
23 neighbors want a Sky Zone indoor trampoline park in Hutchinson.
23 neighbors want revitalization of empty buildings in Hutchinson.
20 neighbors want a comprehensive trail system and bike-friendly
streets in Hutchinson.
18 neighbors want safe routes for children to walk or bike to all
schools in Hutchinson.
17 neighbors want a microbrewery downtown in Hutchinson.
15 neighbors want more support for the arts in Hutchinson.
15 neighbors want sidewalks in Hutchinson.
15 neighbors want healthy food options, including grocery stores like
Whole Foods or restaurants like Panera Bread, in Hutchinson.
14 neighbors want beautification and sense of pride in Hutchinson.
14 neighbors want a task force created to attract/retain large scale
employers in Hutchinson.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 10
CITY/COUNTY AT LARGE
We want racial integration and acceptance in Hutchinson.
We want communities across Reno County that support one another's
activities instead of competing in Hutchinson.
We want more historic preservation in Hutchinson.
I want public meeting places in Hutchinson.
We want a community that is more welcome to progressive ideas and
new residents in Hutchinson.
I want more things for thirty-somethings to do in Hutchinson.
I want day services for the elderly in Hutchinson.
We want more attention paid to addressing poverty in Hutchinson.
We want better housing conditions in Hutchinson.
I want reduced regulations preventing housing starts in Hutchinson.
We want affordable housing for low-moderate income in Hutchinson.
I want to address the number of vacant homes and the number of
homeless in Hutchinson.
We want city programs and incentives to improve housing stock for
middle class (vs. all low income) in Hutchinson.
We want to figure out a way to raise city revenue WITHOUT raising
property taxes in Hutchinson.
We want Lower Property Taxes in Hutchinson.
We want strengthening of infrastructure and housing/business structures in
Hutchinson.
I want to include more "unusual voices" in community conversations in
Hutchinson.
We want a four-year college in Hutchinson.
We want less law enforcement (abuse of power) in Hutchinson.
I want easy access for recycling in Hutchinson.
I want more medical facilities to choose from in Hutchinson.
We want mental and physical healthcare for all in Hutchinson.
I want pedestrian and bicycle crossings around the mall to connect
businesses in Hutchinson.
We want a regular RCAT route that goes to Haven each day in
Hutchinson.
I want continued rail service on Amtrak to Chicago and Los Angeles in
Hutchinson.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 11
CULTURAL/ATTRACTIONS
I want Art, all kinds, a chalk festival, more murals near parks so one can
linger, an art gallery in Hutchinson.
I want a park featuring a huge, historic timeline mural, seats, landscaping
& electronic learning stations in Hutchinson.
We want music to unify in Hutchinson.
I want national popular touring acts at the Fox, Memorial Hall, Sports
Arena, and Grandstand year-round in Hutchinson.
We want cooling in event halls (like Sports Arena and Memorial Hall) for
year-round use in Hutchinson.
We want continued growth of the Smallville Festival in Hutchinson.
We want to see a portion of Main Street blocked off during Third Thursday,
like Sherman to Avenue B in Hutchinson.
We want more support for the Zoo and train in Hutchinson.
Specific wants:
o Bigger swimming pool
o Prairie dog park by the mall
o Splash pad in Rice Park and Grandview
o Live jazz three nights a week
o Clowntown
o More disc golf courses
o Water fountains along the trails
o Food truck court
o Dog park at River Banks Orchard Park
o City-wide picnic in Carey Park
DOWNTOWN
We want a vibrant downtown, with a mix of businesses and housing and
activities on evenings and weekends in Hutchinson.
Specific wants:
o Saturday sidewalk sales
o ATM
o Gas station
o Grocery store
o Teen center
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 12
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
We want more local businesses in Hutchinson.
We want more retail stores to prevent Wichita from getting all of our
money in Hutchinson.
We want retailers to stay open later than 6:00pm in Hutchinson.
We want restaurants that stay open later in Hutchinson.
We want more manufacturing and industry in Hutchinson.
We want more viable economic development projects to make wish list
ideas viable in Hutchinson.
Specific wants:
o Dillard’s
o Drive-in Theatre
o Sam’s Club
o Dollar Tree
o Marshall’s
o Buffalo Wild Wings
o KFC on 30th
NEIGHBORHOODS
We want an emphasis on creating neighborhood identity in Hutchinson.
We want parks within walking distance of every neighborhood in
Hutchinson.
We want to add or improve street lighting in many of the neighborhoods
in Hutchinson.
We want to see more parents watching their kids and to stop the break-ins
in our neighborhoods in Hutchinson.
We want Avenue A to be a safer street in Hutchinson.
I want a safe place for kids to play ALL SEASONS within a reasonable, safe
walking distance by HMS7 in Hutchinson.
We want neighborhood block parties in Hutchinson.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 13
YOUTH
We want youth and adults to work together in Hutchinson.
I want day activities or a play place for toddlers in Hutchinson.
We want better early childhood education and services in Hutchinson.
We want classrooms with no more than twenty students per classroom for
optimal learning in Hutchinson.
We want more opportunities for children in the area of Visual Arts,
Performing Arts, & Interest Clubs in Hutchinson.
I want more places for kids to go, like a Mysterious Museum, Laser Quest,
or Lego Land in Hutchinson.
We want a bigger science lab for kids in Hutchinson.
We want a bigger art place for kids in Hutchinson.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 14
32 PARTICIPANTS
7 COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
$15,000 IN GRANT AWARDS
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 15
HOW DO WE CREATE AND BUILD
CONNECTIONS AND
RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS
DEMOGRAPHIC, GEOGRAPHIC,
AND SOCIOECONOMIC DIVIDES IN
RENO COUNTY?
Facilitator: Sarah Key
Participants: Elisha Herndon, Mimi Meredith, Jeff Slater, Gina Nachtigal, Julie Black
Project Name: We Are Hutch
Project Summary: Linking interested community members to subject matter experts across
divides. Bridging factions to build relationships to strengthen our community to become a "we"
instead of an "I."
Grant Amount: $2,500
Project Update: The group started a We Are Hutch Facebook page,
distributed Catch the Wave buttons, and produced a Catch the Wave
video that encouraged people to connect with one another, even
through a simple wave hello. They are currently finishing the video and
hope to use the We Are Hutch brand to bring together all of the cultural,
arts, and musical events in Reno County.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 16
HOW DO WE SUPPORT AT-RISK
YOUTH THROUGH PARENTAL AND
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT?
Facilitator: Morgan Starkweather
Participants: Sondra Borth, Marci Malashchuk, Amanda Gonzalez, Kelbe McGill
Project Name: Reno County Families First on August 1st
Project Summary: Having a movie night to increase family unity and provide resource awareness
by breaking down barriers and encouraging community relationship building through
partnerships with local businesses and organizations.
Grant Amount: $2,500
Project Update: The group held their movie night on August 1st at
Stremel Field in Carey Park, bringing together approximately 500
people with community resources and showing a free movie that
encouraged family/community togetherness. Held in
conjunction with National Night Out, the police and fire
departments were also at the event to meet the public and build
relationships in a non-emergency environment.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 17
HOW DO WE USE ART AS A TOOL
FOR ENGAGEMENT, CONNECTING,
AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING?
Facilitators: Mena Michael and David Sotelo
Participants: Morgan Penner, Gale Wale, Patsy Terrell, Sharon Hixson, and Kathy Davis
Project Name: Art on the Move
Project Summary: Providing art experiences at different locations throughout the community,
an artist will share an art form and participants will then create their own art. One large event
plus two small community events in June, July, & August.
Grant Amount: $1,300
Project Update: The grant provided an opportunity to expose
community members to art and was a means of encouraging
community members to create art regardless of their perceived
artistic abilities. It also provided opportunities for families to
engage in healthy recreational activities together. The group set
up canvases outside Smith’s Market during June’s Third Thursday,
held an art journaling workshop at Hutchinson Public Library on
July 18, and had tiles for everyone to decorate at the Families First
on August 1st event.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 18
HOW DO WE MAKE HUTCHINSON
A DESTINATION?
Facilitator: David Inskeep
Participants: Christopher Wietrick, Lady Shawn Teppish, David Dukart, and Jesse Juma
Project Name: Downtown Smallville Mural
Project Summary: We want to provide a tourist attraction--based on the Smallville, KS Festival--
through a new downtown mural, featuring the Hutchinson/Smallville connection to bring new
art and ideas to Downtown.
Grant Amount: $3,000
Project Update: Jim Strawn’s building on the northwest corner of Avenue A & Main (including
Fashionista, Serendipity Cupcakes, and Yarn) has been approved as the site of the mural (facing
the parking lot) and is being prepped. The design has been determined, and they are gathering
materials and volunteers to complete the mural in late summer.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 19
HOW DO WE GET 16-20 YEAR OLDS
TO BE MORE ACTIVE CITIZENS
IN THE COMMUNITY?
Facilitator: Ryan Diehl
Participants: Candace Anderson Dixon, Leila Emack, Dianne Blick, Linda Schmitt, and Diego
Esparza
Project Name: Operation: Open Dialogue
Project Summary: 30 students (15 college and 15 high school) will be invited for an evening of
dialogue about their experiences in Hutchinson related to civic engagement. Community
leaders will be invited as listening partners to form possible partnerships with students to
encourage and foster community involvement.
Grant Amount: $500
Project Update: The group is planning an Unconference-like event on the evening of August 27th
on the campus of Hutchinson Community College.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 20
HOW DO WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO
OUTDOOR RECREATION
OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASE
AWARENESS OF WHAT'S
OUT THERE?
Facilitator: Bailey Stiggins
Participants: Amy Raigoza, Rhonda Hiebert, Kristina Griffith, and Spenser White
Project Name: Better Park Project: Project Access
Project Summary: Create temporary park space to demonstrate the need for more playscapes
and water parks. The group will set up parks in desired locations, encourage families to use them,
gather data, and present the findings to community partners.
Grant Amount: $3,000
Project Update: A pop-up park was set up in George Pyle Park as part of the Avenue A
Neighborhood Block Party on April 11, and a pop-up spray park was set up in Rice Park in
conjunction with the March of Dimes Walk on May 9. As a result of the conversations and
demonstration projects, in part, the City of Hutchinson is planning on putting playground
equipment on the southeast corner of George Pyle Park (for which they have applied for a Fund
for Hutchinson grant for partial funding), and a donor has stepped up to help make the Rice
Park Splash Pad a reality, along with the City, Justice Foundation, and Fund for Hutchinson, in
2016.
ENVISION HUTCH 2015
HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 21
HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE MORE
LIVING WAGE JOBS FOR THE
CITIZENS OF RENO COUNTY?
Facilitator: Tim Carey
Participants: Lacy Stauffacher, Jill Peck, Jim Seitnater, Anthony Frischenmeyer, Roger
Frischenmeyer, and Richard Robl
Project Name: Your Struggle is my Struggle
Project Summary: An awareness initiative to educate the community on the reality of poverty in
Reno County by exploring cultural awareness and understanding of living wage issues. By
developing a marketing plan to invite and encourage the community to enter into the
conversation on living wage disparity in Reno County.
Grant Amount: $2,200
Project Update: The group is completing production of a marketing video that humanizes the
poverty statistics in Reno County and puts faces to people who are working hard to get out of
poverty.
Download an electronic copy at ihearthutch.org.