ABOVE: Joan Huber, in the group on the right, gestures as she speaks with Place Foundry representatives about what is needed in Danville’s new comprehensive plan.
During a Friday (June 6th) interactive format public workshop on the City of Danville’s new Comprehensive Plan, the city’s hired firm Place Foundry out of Rockford listened to what residents had to say, on the outdoor patio at Mad Goat Coffee on South Gilbert Street.
Those in attendance talked about visions for the Danville of the future, and part of the discussion was about making full use of resources that already exist. DeeAnn Ryan talked about the elderly people still living in Danville, with so much knowledge to offer about Danville’s history. As an example afterwards, she spoke about residents in the Elmwood neighborhood.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: There are people out there who actually came up from the south. And they moved to Danville, and they settled in the community; and revitalized the neighborhood. I’ve known a lot of them, and they have a lot of knowledge about how Danville was settled with African Americans. And their values are so crisp and timely.
Middle Picture: Place Foundry’s David Sidney speaks with Mad Goat Coffee owner Sam George during Friday’s public workshop on Danville’s new comprehensive plan at Mad Goat South.
Joan Huber lives just a few miles outside the Danville city limits, and very much considers Danville her town. She spoke about making sure Danville does not “become a donut.” She says that means having a vibrant downtown with people, where the lights are on well after 5 PM. Huber says the arts are already helping that happen. But then you need to add more business opportunities, and residential opportunities.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: Don’t allow the life of your community to keep moving out in a ring; leaving the center to go dark, and become uninhabited; where there are not people on the street, and people interacting with the life and the stories that can happen there. So give it attention.
Mad Goat owner Sam George was a participant in Friday’s session. He says getting Danville’s top assets working in unison is a big factor for him.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: So whether it’s DACC, whether it’s the Danville Stadium, whether it’s the Danville Symphony Orchestra; I think we have all these different pieces. And I think trying to figure out how we pull them together, in a way that’s maximizing what our assets are, instead of having different things happening at different locations. I think that will be to our benefit.
Place Foundry’s David Sidney says there should be a first draft of the Comprehensive Plan released by sometime in October. After that, they’ll take additional feedback, and hopefully have a final version before the Danville City Council by next February or March.
