QUALITY OF LIFE

Strategy 1:

Enhance the existing character of the region by developing community amenities needed to retain existing, and attract new, residents and businesses.

About The Objectives

The first strategy is focused on developing and improving existing assets within the region to attract new and retain existing residents and businesses. Three objectives have been identified to help work towards this strategy.

Retaining and Increasing Population and Businesses

The first strategy focuses on the investment of quality-of-life amenities. We know that these amenities are in high demand and can be the determining factor for a new family or business to relocate to an area. We also understand the importance of these facilities in creating opportunities for communities to gather and enhance their sense of place. The IND15RPC region has many tourist destinations which contribute to the quality-of-life amenities of the region including Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari, Hoosier National

Forest, Lincoln Amphitheatre, French Lick Resort, Patoka Lake, Big Splash Adventure, West Baden Springs, and Jasper Parklands and League Stadium.

The region is known for its small-town character, rural lands, and natural resources. These all contribute to the quality of life for the region and are some of the reasons that residents stay in the area and return after moving away for college or to pursue other job opportunities. While the affordability of the region can also be a selling point, the region must continue to focus efforts on improving the day-to-day lives of residents with improved quality of life amenities. Amenities might include parks, multi-use trails, community centers, plazas or open spaces, river access points and riverfront development, and connectivity to existing natural resources and destinations.

Downtown Revitalization

The second objective focuses on downtowns within the region. Downtowns are critical components to the health and well-being of the local community and economy. The downtowns throughout the IND15RPC region each have their own unique character and sense of place. People are attracted to the downtowns because of their local shops and experiences with local culture and arts. The region can continue to capitalize on the draw of the downtowns by enhancing their existing character with quality-of-life amenities such as activated alleys, open spaces and plazas for community gatherings, murals, and unique streetscape treatments.

Downtowns are also important to retain existing residents and businesses. Businesses benefit from the synergy of the surrounding businesses and quality of life amenities such as parks while residents benefit from convenient locations to shop, work, and enjoy leisure time. Downtowns are often the central location for the adjacent rural communities to gather creating a sense of community for even those who live “outside of town.”

Public and Accessible Transportation Initiatives

The third objective focuses on the need for public transportation options across the region. Traditionally, the region has not been viewed favorably for widespread public transportation because of the rural and spread-out nature of the area. These characteristics make public transportation options expensive and difficult to manage with limited users in certain areas. However, there are areas of the region where households have limited access to vehicles, creating difficulties for those people to get to work safely which results in the demand for public transportation. A multi-county public/ private partnership could create opportunities for the communities to meet these needs in a sustainable way. A strategic plan should be developed to identify areas most in need of transportation options to allow people to reach their workplace safely. Other transportation options could include multiuse trails and sidewalks between places of employment and nearby residential areas.

Objective Priority Actions

1. Increase the miles of multi-use trails in the region by 25 percent by 2030.

2. Improve existing city and county parks with new playground equipment by 2030.

A. Invest in quality of life amenities that draw young professionals and families to the region, fostering population and economic growth.

3. Work with each town or community in the region to create a local plan for improving amenities within each community. These plans will include parks, trails, and community programs and events.

4. Create a regional open space and recreation plan to identify areas of the region which are underserved.

5. Work with each community to pursue funding grants and private/public partnerships to implement amenities including trails, sidewalks, parks, community events, and open spaces.

1. Incorporate public art, such as murals along the sides of buildings, and other activities throughout downtowns to beautify and activate the space.

B. Promote downtown revitalization to enhance the sense of community and attract new residents and businesses to the area.

2. Develop a marketing campaign identifying the unique qualities of downtowns within the region and distribute the campaign to a multi-state audience.

3. Develop community-wide events centered in downtown areas to attract larger groups to downtowns.

4. Invest in downtown improvements such as pocket parks, improved sidewalks, streetscapes (including lighting and community banners), outdoor dining, and plazas.

5. Activate alleyways by incorporating public art installations and seating to create new public spaces.

C. Develop accessible public transportation options focused on workers commuting to and from jobs.

1. Explore public/private partnerships to create public transportation systems for each community in the region with a regional economy of scale.

2. Develop a regional multi-modal transportation plan focused on centers of employment and safe access for cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles.