REGION 8 NOTES
September/October 2011
Michigan Association of Planning Conference is coming to Grand Rapids in 2011!
The Michigan Association of Planning is holding its annual conference in Grand Rapids October 19–21. The Conference will be held at the Amway Grand Hotel and will include three days of educational speakers, tours of planning projects within the West Michigan area, and many opportunities to get together with planners from across Michigan (and beyond). There will even be educational runs at 6 a.m. each morning for those who wish to learn more about Grand Rapids while maintaining their running routine. Visit the Michigan Association of Planning’s website at www.planningmi.org for registration information.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and Funding Opportunities
On August 31, 2011 the Comprehensive Economic Development (CEDS) Committee approves the 2011 Interim CEDS that will be forwarded to the WMRPC at its September 16, 2011 meeting for the Commission’s review and approval. From there, the strategy is forwarded to the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) where it is used to identify potential projects for EDA to assist in funding. If your community has a project that it feels will promote job creation, getting the project listed in the CEDS is the first step to acquiring an EDA grant. Examples of EDA fundable projects include industrial parks, business incubators, public works projects (water, sewer, roads, etc.), or other public projects that will promote the creation of jobs. Don’t worry about missing this round, we will be soliciting projects from communities again in January … but if that’s not soon enough, please contact Dave Bee at dbee@wmrpc.org or call 616-774-8400.
Transportation Asset Management
2011 was another successful year related to Michigan’s Transportation Asset Management program. Information was safely collected for all seven counties with the coordinated actions of the WMRPC, each County Road Commission, each of the three MPOs within the seven-county area, local staff from the Michigan Department of Transportation, several communities, and Michigan’s Transportation Asset Management Council. Although the roads are rated during the warmer months of the year, the program continues throughout the entire year with training, data submission and interpretation, and the preparation of reports to show the condition of our roads. If you’re interested in learning more about this program, contact Elizabeth Van Doorne at evandoorne@wmrpc.org or 616-774-8400.
ArtPrize 2011
The third year of ArtPrize will be held September 21 – October 9 in Grand Rapids. This is a great opportunity to see hundreds of works of art created by artists from far and near. The winners are chosen by a public vote, with a first prize of $250,000. Plan on spending plenty of time taking in the art, the people, and the great West Michigan fall weather. Visit www.artprize.org to learn more about this local sensation.
Wheatland Music Festival
Since our region is both urban and rural, it’s only fair to put in a plug for a rural festival! The Wheatland Music Festival is scheduled for September 9–11 this year. The mission of the Wheatland Music Organization is “to serve as a resource center for the preservation and presentation of traditional music and arts.” This family-friendly festival is located in Mecosta County’s Wheatland Township. Visit www.wheatlandmusic.org for more information.
Mount Baldhead Challenge
If art and music aren’t your idea of fun, how about a 15k run that includes running up the 302 steps to Saugatuck’s Mount Baldhead? The annual run is September 10th this year and will begin downtown in friendly Douglas at 8:00 a.m. The challenging course is filled with beautiful vistas of Lake Michigan and the Kalamazoo River and is a mix of a road run and trail run through the dunes … after going up the steps. This is one of the most unique runs in Michigan. If a 15k is not your thing, there is also a 5k run that does not take you up the steps or through the dunes. Visit www.mtbaldheadchallenge.com for registration information.
New Web Resources
The WMRPC is updating its website. It’s been six years since our website has received a facelift … and in this day and age that’s a really long time. We will let you know when we’re finished, but changes will include incorporating our Grant and Loan Opportunities information into a format that is both searchable and more up-to-date. In the meantime, our current website is still a very valuable resource, so visit us often at www.wmrpc.org to see what you’ve been missing.
If you just can’t get enough regional news and information, the Michigan Association of Regions (MAR) is also updating its website. Their new website will provide information about MAR as well as information about each of Michigan’s 14 Regional Planning Organizations. Visit www.miregions.org to see the current website, which will also be the location of the new website when the overhaul is completed.
Remaining Meetings in 2011
The West Michigan Regional Planning Commission – September 16, 2011, 9:30 a.m. at our offices.
The West Michigan Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee – November 18, 2011, 9:30 a.m. at our offices.
The West Michigan Regional Planning Commission and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee – December 9, 2011, 10:00 a.m. at the Loon’s Nest in Montcalm County.
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