Community process to set direction for the future of Londonderry

LONDONDERRY, Vt. – On Feb. 3, all members of the Londonderry community are invited to kick off One Londonderry: a community process to engage all residents in setting direction for a vibrant, prosperous, and dynamic future. This process is a practical, pragmatic, and facilitated way for residents to actively participate in reviewing challenges and opportunities facing the community, identify top priorities for action, and develop concrete action plans. This will also be an opportunity to bring both technical and financial resources to Londonderry to move priorities forward.

This first step in the One Londonderry process will be a virtual community forum to discuss assets, challenges, and opportunities for action within four focus topics. Everyone is invited to join in Feb. 3 to share ideas in forums on four different topics, chosen by a steering committee representing people from various occupations and parts of town. Forum topics will include Housing & Transportation; Youth, Families & Childcare; Recreation, Health & Wellness; and Economic Development, Jobs & Village Centers. Participants can join on Zoom or by phone. Public Wi-Fi is available in a safe, socially distanced setup at the Town Office for those that need it.

In addition to online forums, ideas will be collected using an online survey, www.bit.ly/LondonderrySurvey, and paper surveys are available at the South Londonderry Free Library, the Londonderry Town Office, and at Mike and Tammy’s Main Street Deli.

Step 2 of One Londonderry will be a community meeting Feb. 25 where all residents will be invited to champion action ideas, set priorities, and have the option to sign up for task forces to take on each chosen priority initiative. VCRD will return in March 16 for Step 3, One Londonderry Resource Day to help support the work of the new task forces with technical and financial resources as they create action plans to move their priorities forward.

Londonderry Selectboard Chair Georgianne Mora invites all to participate, saying, “I’m really hopeful about the One Londonderry community process. This is an opportunity to get community members from all corners of the town to engage in envisioning a future that fulfills the needs and desires of everyone. VCRD seems to have the experience and tools to make true inclusiveness a reality.”

The process is produced by VCRD, who was invited to the community by the town of Londonderry Selectboard. VCRD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the advancement of Vermont communities. In the past 20 years, they have worked with over 70 communities throughout Vermont to bring residents together through their facilitated and structured process to share ideas and move toward common solutions. VCRD will bring with them a visiting team of more than 20 Vermont state, federal, business, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders to listen to and reflect on the challenges and opportunities for action that residents identify.

VCRD Community and Policy Manager Jenna Koloski says, “VCRD is excited about working with Londonderry residents to set and advance priorities for the future. We believe strongly in the power of local leadership and in engaging the full voice of the community in setting direction forward. Even in a time when people can’t come together in the same room, there is still great opportunity to connect with our friends and neighbors, choose what is most important, and work towards a brighter future for the community. Coming together, even virtually, is more important than ever.”

One Londonderry Community Visit is funded with support from the Vermont Community Foundation and the Northern Borders Regional Commission. All members of the community are invited to participate.

For more information, visit www.bit.ly/OneLondonderry, contact VCRD at 802-225-6091 or jenna@vtrural.org, or visit the event Facebook page at www.facebook.com/events/1331207363901346.

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