In an effort to address the challenges of the current recession and the emerging conditions that Stamford will face over the next several decades, we are reaching out to dynamic and knowledgeable citizens to participate in a a civic conversation that will serve as a platform for innovation and a means by which Stamford citizens take control of their destiny.
Reinventing Stamford: Redefining the Recession, kicked off on Tuesday, March 24th with 105 participants at the Palace Theater. A second event on May 11th focused on Stamford's connections to the metro, the megaregion and the global network. There were two events in June: one on downtown place-making on June 8th; and one on the intersection of education and the economy on June 10th. We took the summer off and then reconvened on September 17th, to focus on Stamford: the Green City; on October 28th, when we began a transition from information gathering and conversation to strategy and action; and on December 8th, with the theme of Stamford: the Creative City, with a focus on finding opportunties in emerging conditions to create jobs and wealth.
The Partners: Stamford Achieves, Stamford Downtown Special Services District, Stamford Economic Development Commission, Fairfield County Community Foundation, GE Asset Management, Stamford Hospital, Stamford Partnership, Stamford Planning Board, Pitney Bowes, Stamford Public Schools, and Stamford Urban Redevelopment Commission.
The Proposition: We need to develop strategies and promote actions that accelerate Stamford's reorientation around the economic crisis and create a stronger foundation for long-term economic growth, energy efficiency, environmental quality, disaster resilience and reduced social and economic disparities. Stamford should aim to emerge from the recession as a more innovative, greener, more sustainable and diversified economy, and overall, a more consciously resilient place and people.
Next Event: The eighth Reinventing Stamford Town Meeting will take place in late February or early March and will focus on civic engagement.
Pivot Point: The First Year ofReinventing
Stamford will be printed for
release with the invitation package for this event. As the name of the report
suggests, we are pivoting from a focus on research and information gathering to
strategy and action, so the theme of civic engagement is not an abstraction; it
is an invitation to get directly involved in a wide range of specific projects
that will have a tangible and lasting impact on the city.
Become a part of shaping the next Stamford
economy. This
session is a pivot point, when hundreds of hours invested by over 200
participants turns from dialogue and research to real-world initiatives which
will have a material impact on our future.
To Join the Conversation: People interested in participating in the next event should contact Kip Bergstrom at kbergstrom@reinventingstamford.com or at 327-9180.
