The Grand Vision

Grand Vision in Action

The Grand Vision continues to inspire
change in northwest lower Michigan.
 
Here's what's been happening lately.

 


Suttons Bay in Action

   

Beach at Suttons Bay

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Director, Cam Davis, announced August 11 at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy's annual dinner, several grants awarded to projects in our area. Among them: nearly $1 million to the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay. To be exact: $987,000.

 

The Watershed Center leveraged these funds from a $10,000 New Designs for Growth: Community Growth Grants program, awarded to the Village of Suttons Bay by the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments last year. Amazing work Watershed Center!

 

"The key to this success has been to build partnerships through the Grand Vision," said Wally Delamater, Suttons Bay Village Manager. "The Watershed Center's involvement with the village has proved successful and is an excellent example of a partnership for the protection of not only Suttons Bay's greatest natural resource, but the entire region's," he said.

 

The Grand Vision process informed the whole community that Natural Resources were of vital importance to our region; as growth occurs, we must take steps to protect and preserve water, forests, natural and scenic areas. The Suttons Bay project involves working with the Village of Suttons Bay to install three runoff drain systems using green infrastructure techniques. The new drain systems will eliminate bacteria sources originating from storm drains at the village's two heavily-used family swimming beaches. This project will also be integrated with another planned park, Traverse Area Regional Trail (TART) trail, and road improvements in Suttons Bay. 

 

This project is one of three that will be completed with a total of $2.2 million awarded last week to the Watershed Center. The other two projects will focus on Traverse City runoff cleanup ($768,000), and sediment management for the Boardman River Dam removal ($533,000). More than 95 percent of this funding will be invested in on-the-ground projects in local communities. Engineering work for the projects will begin this fall with construction beginning in spring 2012. 

 

"These grants fund shovel-ready, on-the-ground projects to help realize (the Grand) vision," said Andy Knott, executive director of the Watershed Center. 

 

To see interviews with Cam Davis and Senator Carl Levin from the GTRLC event, click Grand Vision - Our Stories.

Grand Vision in Action Online 

 

Grand Vision Home Page ImageThe re-designed Grand Vision website is now live and available to the entire Grand Vision region.  Go to www.thegrandvision.org to check out the new features and functionality.

 

As more and more community members ask how to get involved with The Grand Vision, we've created a means for them to upload the photos and videos in their own communities of Grand Vision action with the Grand Vision iReporter.

 

"We want to see what projects The Grand Vision is inspiring in your towns and neighborhoods," said Marsha Smith, chair of the Grand Vision CORE coordinating team.

 

The new site includes features to connect community members and issue area members alike, such as a Grand Vision network-wide calendar, accessible as a download onto the most widely-used electronic calendars in order to synchronize the dates on it within users' personal calendars.

 

"We've heard the cries for help with community members and network conveners alike, wanting one place where all meetings and events can be posted for all to see," Smith said. "And we've delivered it."

 

Most important for area organizations is a resource page on the website that includes a wide variety of funding opportunities that could help with project implementation. The Grand Vision Resource Committee invested in subscriptions to robust funding locator services to compile these reports. Opportunities are updated each month and are now easily accessible in one location.

 

"These resources alone make checking the website on a regular basis a good idea as the opportunities come from a very broad range of sources. Our committee leveraged our investment in the subscription services to benefit the region," said Debbie McKeon, director of NorthSky Nonprofit Network. "We're very excited to bring this information to the greater public through the Grand Vision website."

 

In addition, issue area leaders each have their own sections of the site for community members' ease-of-use to get the latest updates on what is happening within each of those issue areas: Transportation, Food and Farming, Growth & Investment, Natural Resources, Housing and Energy.

 

Standard features of the site include the latest news, press releases, issue-area videos, a timeline and overview of The Grand Vision and a plethora of photos from across the six counties of The Grand Vision.

 

August 2011

Grand Vision Guiding Principles

 

Based on  intensive research and input from thousands of citizens from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, and Wexford counties, a vision that will lead to prosperity for people throughout northwest lower Michigan was created founded on these guiding principles: 

 

  • A coordinated regional transportation network
     
  • Unique and vibrant communities
     
  • Housing choices
     
  • Sustainable-energy uses in construction, transportation and economic development
     
  • Protected and preserved water, forests, natural and scenic areas
     
  • Viable regional farms and local food systems 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grand Vision
 

 

The Grand Vision

PO Box 506

Traverse City, MI 49685

231.929.5038

 

thegrandvision.org 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grand Vision � PO Box 506 � Traverse City, MI 49685 � 231.929.5038