Public invited to help Fort Oglethorpe thrive beginning Jan. 11
Fort Oglethorpe is one of four communities chosen by The Thrive Regional Partnership and the Lyndhurst Foundation, both based in Chattanooga, to participate in a 10-month program devoted to “creative placemaking and design-thinking” with the goal of learning how to build on its “arts and culture assets.”
The public is invited to participate in the process beginning January 11 at a meeting with experts from Chattanooga-based Bridge Innovate, a company devoted to teaching and helping businesses and communities grow and change. The goal is to identify assets within the community that can be defined as “arts and culture” and develop ways to highlight those assets to the benefit of the city’s residents and visitors.
After completing the course, Fort Oglethorpe will be eligible to receive as much as $20,000 from the Lyndhurst Foundation to bring to life an arts and culture project planned during training.
The other communities chosen for this second round of Thriving Communities are all in Tennessee – Athens, Decatur and Whitwell.
The first round of Thriving Communities, in 2016, focused on three Georgia cities and one Tennessee city. Rossville used its learning and funding to enhance the area around the John Ross house. Dalton committed to creating an outdoor performing arts space using its newfound knowledge and a gift of $1 million from a local resident who was inspired by the project. Chatsworth built a new band shell in a city park, and Cleveland, Tenn., established Back Alley Park in its downtown region.
One of the benefits of the Thrive Regional Partnership, according to its website, is that it inspires people within communities to get more involved and to invest resources to keep up growth and innovation even after the project period is over.
Citizens can participate by attending the initial meeting on Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at City Hall, 500 City Hall Drive, Fort Oglethorpe.