OXFORD – The first of three Vision Plan meetings was held Tuesday at the community meeting room in the Oxford Primary School.
The meetings are put on by the Center for Community Design Research at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
“We’ve worked with a number of communities in upstate to facilitate development and growth in villages and towns,” said Maren King, professor of the CCDR. “In the first stage, we develop questions that help us better understand the community.”
About 20-25 people attended the first two workshops as well as focus groups made up of the businesses community, non-profits and service agencies, and agricultural representatives.
CCDR asks community members questions that are “as much for them as us” said King, who then analyzes the information and organizes it into easily identifiable material.
King said the first stage involves understanding resources and assets, concerns, and things the community would like to see built upon.
She also tries to understand the relationship between town and village.
“It’s a way for people to understand what they have in common,” said King.
In the second meeting, a draft vision will be presented and attendees will be asked to develop their ideas for the area and create goals.
King explained that the more people participate in the study, the more accurate and refined the data. She urged everyone from the first meeting to return and to spread the word.
“It’s a more effective strategy, the more people participate,” said King. “We’d like to see more representation from younger people ... we had one high school senior today and she provided a very different perspective; what they do, what they value.”
During the first meeting, community members discussed places in the town and village they consider “sacred” such as the pool, historic buildings, the post office and the Veterans’ Home.
Concerns were also listed ranging from unkempt properties to economic concerns and flood damage.