This weekend, Fort Valley will begin its initial project as part of the University of Georgia’s Connected Resilient Communities (CRC) program. A group of UGA students and faculty will help with the work, which will focus on downtown beautification and green spaces, and making the area more attractive to businesses. The project is the first of three that Fort Valley will complete as part of the CRC program, which is facilitated by the Archway Partnership™.
“We are excited to host students and faculty from UGA as they gather community input and craft designs for downtown improvement,” said Tisa Horton, chair of the Fort Valley Downtown Development Authority. “We look forward to engaging with our downtown stakeholders in this first phase of a community conversation about how to improve Fort Valley.”
The students are from the UGA College of Environment and Design (CED) and the centerpiece of the visit is a “charrette” – a multi-day event that brings designers and locals together to envision plans. These students, studying landscape architecture, historic preservation and urban planning, will work with local stakeholders to illustrate design concepts that can guide downtown leaders towards civic improvements. The charrette will be led by the college’s Center for Community Design and Preservation (CCDP). As the public service and outreach arm of the UGA College of Environment and Design, the CCDP has conducted over 100 design charrettes in Georgia since 1997.
“During our time in Fort Valley, we hope to engage local business and property owners in conversations to understand their vision for improving the downtown area,” said Jennifer Lewis, CCDP director. “The students will blend those goals with their own impressions of the assets and opportunities that exist and produce illustrations of what change could look like.”
The CRC program, facilitated by the award-winning Archway Partnership, helps communities tap into the resources and expertise at UGA to address local issues and become more attractive to economic development. CRC communities partner with experts from UGA to complete three projects, over 12 to 18 months, designed to increase resiliency. Communities receive silver and gold medals after projects one and two, respectively, and a platinum medal after project three, signifying they have earned the CRC designation through extraordinary planning, collaboration and partnership with UGA to build a thriving community.
Now it in its fourth year, the CRC program not only helps communities work on locally-identified projects but also helps students and faculty gain real-world experience while learning more about the state of Georgia. Thomson-McDuffie County was the pilot community for the CRC program, earning its designation in 2021. Last year, the CRC program produced more than $434,000 in project value.
WRITER
Baker Owens
CONTACT
Michelle Elliott
706-542-1098
mwe@uga.edu