GOOD Ideas for Cities is coming to RVA

Take a bunch of creative people, throw in some challenging problems facing the urban center of your choosing, and wait for the good ideas to flow–that’s the GOOD Ideas for Cities program. In February, Richmond was chosen as one of the next host cities and on Tuesday a few Richmonders will propose solutions to issues facing the area.

April 20, 2012; 6:00 AM • by RVANews staff

Late last year, GOOD magazine announced that they would be bringing their GOOD Ideas for Cities program to five mid-sized American cities. Take a bunch of creative people, throw in some challenging problems facing the urban center of your choosing, and wait for the good ideas to flow–that’s the GOOD Ideas for Cities program. In February, Richmond was chosen as one of the next host cities!

A bunch of local creatives applied and were sorted into three different groups tasked with solving three different problems:

Culture and Tourism–The Richmond Region is rich in history, the arts and entertainment opportunities, but tourists often pass us by when traveling along I-95 and I-64 on their way to other destinations. How can we make the gateways to our region more attractive and encourage travelers to exit the interstate and visit the Richmond Region?
Business and Development–The James River is a critical resource for the region. The City of Richmond has recently announced a comprehensive plan to revitalize the riverfront in the city that includes parks, trails and community gathering places. With this plan in mind, how can we leverage the James River and Canal Walk as an economic driver that brings not only people, but dollars to the region?
Education and Economy–There are some vibrant elementary schools in the City of Richmond. However, middle schools can be another story. Some parents send their children to private schools starting in middle school and other parents stop showing up. The community is often more interested in volunteering in elementary schools or high schools. How can we keep the community involved with the goal of improving our city’s middle schools?

Chewy problems, no? For the last several weeks these three teams have been hard at work coming up solutions, and on Tuesday (April 24th) they’ll present the fruits of their labor to you! For free! It’s a chance to immerse your thinkorgan in some of the region’s problems and hopefully walk away inspired and informed. You really can’t lose.