Transform Rockford - Future Programs
 
     The first community meeting for Transform Rockford was held at the Coronado Theater on November 14, 2013. With over 1,300 people in attendance, the “brutal facts” of the Rockford area were laid out and community members joined in a call to action for improving the living and working conditions in our region. The response to the call to action was a series of forty-two visioning sessions held from January 2014 to March 2014 to gather opinions from the community. Over 3,000 people from all over the region participated and told us what our transformed region is, has, will and looks like. Additional comments were gathered as community members went digital and continued the conversations online via the Transform Rockford website and social media sites.
     After months of holding visioning sessions where members of the Rockford community shared their thoughts and dreams, all of this information was tallied, gathered and dissected during the vision drafting. The Vision Drafting team had a very important and tough job of listening to all the voices of our community and drafting our Community’s Vision. Presented to the community on July 9, 2014, the vision belongs to each one of us and will take all of us coming together to make our vision, our future.
     By applying strategic planning processes used successfully in businesses, our community will develop our vision – together – for the future as well as strategies and detailed plans to achieve that vision. Every individual, through a public process, will be asked to provide insight, input and commitment to this transformational endeavor. Then, using the vision as a guide, an aggressive implementation plan will bring our collective vision to reality.
     David Sidney has been the Project Director for Transform since January 2016.  Before that he worked for the City of Rockford as the Comprehensive Planning & Design Manager.  He facilitated the City’s long range planning efforts through community engagement, alignment with partners, urban design initiatives and plan implementation. 
     David is also involved with Golden Apple Foundation of Rockford, Pilgrim’s Promise, and the Rockford Housing Authority.  He holds B.A. in Urban Planning and Regional Planning and a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Illinois.
     David has presented to Rockford Rotary is the past and is an excellent speaker.  This will be an informative program and a chance to bring a guest or [prospective member. 
     As of press time, Dave Byrnes, who is on the steering committee of RTransform Rockford, was scheduled to introduce our presenter and act as Rotary Host.