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Page1|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
WORKINGFORAGREATERAUSTIN
2016ProgressUpdate
Page2|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
AMessagefromtheDirectorGregSiems
2016wascertainlyanexcitingyeartobeinAustin,Minnesota.Aslewofimportantprojects,Vision2020-ledandotherwise,werecompletedorgotagreatstartthispastyear.WiththegrandopeningofthenewdowntownSPAMMuseum,thestartofredevelopmentattheformerOakParkMallsite,andapprovaloftheCommunityRecreationcenterproject,ourcityispoisedtomakeevengreaterstridesin2017.OurvolunteersareproudtoplayapartintheunfoldingstorythatisAustin’spresentandfuture.
It’simpossibletoacknowledgeandappreciateallofthedifferentwaysourvolunteershavepositivelyimpactedthecommunity.InlargepartthisisbecauseVision2020ismuchmorethananorganization–itisamovement.Wearenotcontenttositbackandwatchwhiletheoutsideworldhappenstous.Weproactivelydevelopideasandbringthemtolifeinordertoreshapeourcityforthebetter.
Thesevaluesextendfarbeyondcommitteemeetingsorevents.EveryAustinite,whethertheyaredirectlyinvolvedwithVision2020ornot,ismakingapositivedifferenceatwork,athome,andinthecommunity.Soaboveallwethankyou,ourneighborsandfriends,formakingAustinagreatplacetolive,work,andplayforeveryone.
AcknowledgmentsandoutreachTheaccomplishmentshighlightedwithinthesepagesareonlyasmallsamplingofourvolunteers’work,andnoneofitwouldbepossiblewithoutthegenerousfinancialsupportofothercommunityorganizations.SpecialthanksareduetoTheHormelFoundationandMayoClinicHealthSystem–Austinforprovidingtheoperationalfundsthatallowustokeepthelightsonandtellourstorytothecommunity.ThanksalsototheAustinAreaChamberofCommerceandtheDevelopmentCorporationofAustinfortheongoingadministrativesupportthatmakesourworkpossible.Withoverheadcostsofonly$60,000peryear,wewereabletoleverageover$1millioninprojectgrantsandothersupportin2016.
Vision2020hasover100activevolunteersofdiverseages,backgrounds,andprofessions.
2016wasalsoayearfullofestablishingnewconnectionsandstrengtheningexistingoneswithinthecommunity.TheVision2020websitewascompletelyrebuiltfromthegroundupinordertomaximizeitsfunctionalityandprovideasmuchinformationaspossibleaboutourwork.OurFacebookpagesawa17%increaseinfollowers,wherepictures,articles,andmoreregularlyreachthousandsofpeopleatatime.Theworkofour100+volunteersreceivedpositivemediacoverageineverymajornewsoutletinthearea,includingtheAustinDailyHerald,KAAL,KTTC,KIMT,andKAUS,aswellastheRochesterPost-BulletinandMinneapolisStar-Tribune.
Page3|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
2016wasabanneryearfortheBikingandWalkingTrailscommittee.Volunteersloggedhundredsofhoursdevelopingprograms,organizingevents,andsecuringfundsformajorprojects.AllofthisworkculminatedwiththeLeagueofAmericanBicyclistsrecognizingAustinasan“honorablemention”bike-friendlycity!Herearejustafewofthecommittee’shighlightsfromthisyear:• LaunchoftheRedBikefreebikeshareprogram• Dozensofchildrenandadultsreceivedlow-cost
helmetsatthe3rdannualBikeSafetyDay• Secureda$10,000grantfromTheHormel
FoundationtoexpandandimproveAustin’snewMountainBikingTrail
• Secureda$60,000grantfromtheCityofAustinandTheHormelFoundationtoextendatrailleadingintotheSWedgeofToddPark
TheBusinessFriendlyEnvironmentcommitteewasexcitedtoseesomanybigchangesinAustinin2016.Leadersfrommanylocalorganizationsaretakingtheconversationsatcommitteemeetingsandturningthemintoconcreteaction:• Volunteershelpeddevelopandpassa5-year
propertytaxabatementprogramtospurdevelopmentofqualityworkforcehousing.
• TheCityandDCAarecraftinganewincentiveprogramforbusinessesthatcreatequalityjobs.
• TheSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenterbeganofferingexpandedhoursoffreecounselingforanyonelookingtostartorgrowabusiness.
• ConstructionbeganonthenewHy-Veestore,madepossiblebya$3.6millionHormelFoundationgrantin2015fortheCitytopurchasetheformerOakParkMallsite.
BikingandWalkingTrails
BusinessFriendlyEnvironment
MayorTomStiehmisfittedforahelmetatBikeSafetyDay2016
MarkThein(left)offersfreebusinesscounselingthroughtheSBDC
Page4|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
CommunityPrideandSpiritvolunteersareconstantlycomingupwithexcitingnewwaystomakeadifferenceandinspireotherstolendahand,and2016wasnoexception:• HundredsofspecialValentine’scardswere
createdbylocalyouthanddeliveredtolawenforcementpersonnelandseniorcitizens.
• TheCommunityHomeImprovementProgramfinisheditsfourthyearofassistinghomeownersinneed.Todateover60propertieshavebeenfixedupwiththehelpofHabitatforHumanity.
• Groundworkwaslaidforanonlinevolunteerdatabasetomatchlocalopportunitieswithinterestedcommunitymembers.
• Volunteerslaunchedanewfoodwasterecoveryinitiative,tohelputilizeleftoversfromrestaurantsandgrocerystoresattheSalvationArmykitchen.
2016broughtnoshortageofexcitingnewsforCommunityRecCentervolunteers:• Apurchaseagreementforthedowntownpower
plantsitewasfinalizedwithAustinUtilities.AUwillberesponsibleforanyenvironmentalremediationandprovidingabuild-readysite.
• TheCityCouncilandYMCABoardofDirectorsapprovedaleaseagreementforthefuturefacility,givingthegoaheadforvolunteerstofinalizethefacility’sdesignandprogrammingneeds.
• Preparationsbeganforthe$5millionfundraisingcampaign,whichwillcomplementTheHormelFoundation’shistoric$25milliongranttotheproject.
• ThePackerDomeatWescottFieldsuccessfullycompleteditsfirstseasonandreopenedagainforteampracticesandtrackusersthisNovember.
•
ThePackerDomeisagreatresourceforgettingactiveinthewintermonths!(photocourtesyAustinDailyHerald)
CommunityPride&Spirit
CommunityRecreationCenter
TheAustinRotaryClubworkingonaCHIPprojectinAugust
Page5|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
Inarapidlychangingtechnologicalenvironment,Austinisluckytohavevolunteerspushingtoputourcommunityonthecuttingedge.TheCommunityWideTechnologycommitteespent2016doingavarietyofimportanttasks:• Researchingthecost,feasibility,andbusiness
modelsofdifferentoptionstobringstateoftheartbroadbandspeedstotheentirecommunity,alongwithcultivatingpotentialfundingsources.
• Lobbyingforincreasedbroadbandfundingatthestatelevel,aswellasforchangestooutdatedtelecommunicationslaws.
Alsoofnote,thecommitteeisverypleasedtoseetheprogressandexpansionofthe“hotspot”programattheAustinPublicLibrary.TheseInternetdevicesareavailableforanyonetocheckout,andareanimportantinitialsteptowardbridgingthedigitaldivide.
DowntownAustinismorebustlingthaneverthankstoavarietyoffuneventsandotheractivities,nottomentionthehardworkofallthesmallbusinesseswhooffertheirgoodsandservicestothecommunity.Somenotablehappeningsin2016:• ThenewSPAMMuseumopeneditsMainStreet
doorsinApril,fulfillingoneofourvolunteers’biggestoriginalvisions.
• Volunteershelpedorganizeanewfamily-friendly“HarvestFest”eventinSeptember,whichalongwithSummerKickoffandFallFestbroughtovertwothousandpeopleDowntown.
• WorkedwiththeCitytomakeneededaestheticimprovementsDowntown,includinginstallationofattractivenewparkinglotsignsandtheremovalofseveraloldinformationalkiosks.
ThenewSPAMMuseumhasalreadybroughtover100,000visitorstoDowntownAustin
Improvingaccesstotechnologyiscriticalforstudentsofallages(PhotocourtesyAustinDailyHerald)
CommunityWideTechnology
DestinationDowntown
Page6|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
Afterseveralyearsofplanningandhardworkwithgovernmentagenciesandotherlocalorganizations,GatewaytoAustinvolunteersbegantoenjoythefruitsoftheirlaborsin2016:• Thefirstbatchofnewwayfindingsignswas
installedthroughouttownwithgenerousfundingfromTheHormelFoundation,helpingdirectvisitorstoAustin’smostpopulardestinations.
• Fundingwassecuredforenhancementstothe11thDr.NEbridgeoverI-90,whichwillbethefirstbridgetobereplacedusingthefunctionalandaestheticstandardssetoutintheAustinVisualQualityManual.Thiswillmeanwidersidewalks,improvedlightingandguardrails,andattractivenewlandscapingtobeenjoyedbyvisitorsandresidentsalike.
Improvingwaterquality,floodcontrol,andoutdoorrecreationhasalwaysbeenimportanttothecitizensofAustin,andourWaterwaysvolunteersputincountlesshoursin2016cultivatingthesupportandresourcesnecessaryforthiswork:• Secured$130,000ingrantfundsthroughthe
MinnesotaDNRandTheHormelFoundationtoacquireflood-pronelandneartheRamseyMillPond,thefirststepinredevelopingtheareatocreatemorerecreationalopportunities.
• LobbiedelectedofficialsatthestatecapitolforbondingdollarsfortheRamseyMillPondprojectandimprovementsforthe4thAve.NEdam.
• Received$2,000fromtheAustinAreaFoundationtocreateanewcanoe-kayaklaunchsitefortheCedarRiverStateWaterTrailbehindMarcusenParkbaseballstadium.
NearEastSideLakeyoucanfindanexampleofthebeautifulnewdirectionalsignsthatarescatteredthroughouttown
WeareproudtopartnerwiththeCedarRiverWatershedDistrictintheirworktoprotectandimproveourwaterways
GatewaytoAustin
Waterways
Page7|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
2016sawaflurryofactivityforthevolunteerActionTeamsofAustinAspires,theindependentnonprofitformedthreeyearsagobyVision2020’sEducationLeaderscommittee:• Kindergartenreadiness:establishmentof
community-widenormstobesharedwithcaregiversinSpring2017.
• Academicpotential:developmentofaresourceguideofacademicopportunitiesforlearnersfromcradletocareer.
• Parentsandmentors:evaluationofparentneedstoimproveorexpandcurrentprograms.
• Collegeandcareer:growthofnewjobshadowingopportunitiesforAustinHighandPacellistudents.
• Health:gatheringstoriesofresilienceandpromotingpositivemessagesthroughoutthecommunity.
Despiteallofthegreatthingswe’veaccomplishedthisyear,theworkofmakingAustinthebestitcanbeisneverfinished.Aswemoveclosertoourgoaloftransformingthecommunityby2020,yoursupportismoreimportantthanever.Youcanshareyourideasatameeting,volunteerforanevent,ordonatefundstokeepourcommitteesgoing.Nospecialexpertiseorlong-termcommitmentsarerequired,onlyadesiretoimprovethecommunity.Ifyou’dliketobeapartofourlargenetworkofvolunteers,youarealwayswelcometostopbyourofficeorgiveusacall.Youcanalsolearnmoreatourwebsite,whereyoucanseewhatwe’recurrentlyworkingon,findlinkstonewsarticles,andmuchmore.ThankyouforyoursupportofVision2020-we’relookingforwardtoanothergreatyearinAustin,Minnesota!
TheScienceFairMentoringProjectisemblematicofAustinAspires’goals.Allstudentscanparticipate,bechallenged,andgrowtotheirpotential.
AustinAspires(EducationLeaders)
2017andbeyond
Page8|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com
WORKINGFORAGREATERAUSTIN
www.Vision2020Austin.com
329N.MainSt.#201,Austin,MN55912
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