The City of Redmond launched a campaign on Oct. 24 to engage the community in a dialogue about the future of Redmond’s community centers.

From now until spring 2017, the city will work with a neutral facilitation consultant (EnviroIssues) and with a community stakeholder group to lead a series of community conversations. The goal is to meet with seniors, teens, neighborhood associations and cultural and civic groups; individual community members; and focus groups to explore the community’s wishes and hopes for the future of Redmond’s community centers. This process is coordinated with a larger strategic effort to evaluate and prioritize investments in all city-owned buildings.

“The community is invited to come together and develop a shared vision that carries forward the best of what we have today and provides opportunities for new ways to meet our growing and changing needs,” said Mayor John Marchione.

The stakeholder group is comprised of community members who represent the broad interests of each of the community centers. Most of the stakeholders volunteered for the stakeholder group through an open call for volunteers. Some stakeholders were recruited to ensure that the remaining seats on the stakeholder committee were filled with people who represent a wide array of community center interests and demographics. The role of the stakeholders group is to vet the city’s approach, be a sounding board before the city engages more broadly with the community, and help prepare recommendations to City Council based on what is heard through the community dialogue. City staff and others will provide objective information to the Stakeholder Group and the community to help ensure the dialogue is inclusive and fact-based.

To provide feedback and ideas, Redmond residents and community center users can visit the project website at www.RedmondsCommunityCenters.com. Community members can also invite EnviroIssues and city staff to speak with their community group at a “listening session” this winter. Community input will be used to develop recommendations to City Council in spring 2017.