Welcome to the City2City Pioneer Valley
From one region to another – linking, learning, leading
“City to City” is an initiative where leadership in one metropolitan area of the United States visits another metro area, linking with their counterparts and learning how they address similar issues with the goal of returning with new tools to advance their home community.
The range of issues participants are exposed to include, but are not limited to, education, economic development, the arts and public safety.
This blog has been developed to inform the Springfield metropolitan area about the launching of City2City Greater Springfield, what was learned on City2City Greater Springfield’s first visit in late 2010 to Winston-Salem and Greensboro, North Carolina, what ongoing initiatives have emerged from the trip and to let the community know about future City2City Greater Springfield engagements.
Why City to City for Greater Springfield?
The City of Springfield, Massachusetts, the regional driver for economic and social development, faces a range of challenges in its advancement. The City’s population is not growing; the low retention of area college graduates and high poverty rate represent barriers to overall progress. As is the case in many northeast urban centers where manufacturing has steadily declined, Springfield is a city at a crossroads on a number of levels. Many efforts currently are underway in the education, workforce development, housing, economic and downtown development arenas to address the challenges Springfield is facing. Despite the number of positive initiatives underway, there is a general sense the city is not reaching its potential and more could be undertaken collaboratively to advance the city and region.
How City2City Greater Springfield Was Born
In November 2009, a small group was convened by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts to hear about and discuss a study of Springfield conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (FRB). The report cited 25 peer cities using key economic indicators from 1960 to present. From this list The FRB identified 10 as “resurgent cities: Winston-Salem and Greensboro, NC; Worcester; Providence; New Haven; Jersey City; Grand Rapids; Fort Wayne; Evansville; and Peoria. Resurgent Cities, as determined by the FRB, have re-imagined themselves through strategic initiative and new and diverse collaborations. It was an informative presentation by Richard Walker and good conversation by all who attended. During the session, we discussed collaborations and the need for leadership to move the city forward that would result in a revitalization of the Greater Springfield area. On March 31, 2010, a similar group of 15-20 people met to talk about creating a City to City group in Springfield similar to the effort in Boston.
City to City Blog
About City to City
City to City is a national initiative designed to link leadership from one metropolitan area with another city/metro area. Leaders participate in a site visit to a designated location, engaging with and learning from leaders on the ground about strategies they are employing to advance their community on economic, social, and educational issues. Participants discover best practices and possible strategies that can be incorporated into on-going or emerging strategies in their home city.
City to City is an informal gathering of civic leaders, who are culturally diverse, from business, government and nonprofits and share a common interest in learning about successful models for change and development of the city. The other benefit is the networking that evolves by participating in the trip and the subsequent dialogues or collaborations that follow. The mission is to contribute to our ability to support economic and social growth, opportunity and well-being to the widest range of citizens who choose to live and work in the Greater Springfield area through the discovery of a shared vision. Our intent is not to build an organization, but to inform, enhance our learning and expose models of urban transformation.
The intent of the first City2City Greater Springfield visit to Winston-Salem and Greensboro, North Carolina was to stimulate thinking and foster new engagements in strengthening Springfield as the region’s economic and social hub. Participants decided to focus on the following learning tracks: local public education, economic development, arts & culture, public safety, and race & inclusion. The target was to have a minimum of 25 participants who are decision makers and civic leaders, seeking racial, gender and generational diversity.
Today, participants are carrying the message and lessons learned to their respective organizations in the Springfield metro area. The group is also determining if and how an ongoing initiative, born from the City2City Greater Springfield experience, might serve as a catalyst in creating a process that leads to a revitalized Springfield and region. Future City2City visits may become part of a culture of learning as Springfield and its leadership address challenges and develop a roadmap for progress.
About the Author
Paul Robbins of Paul Robbins Associates-Strategic Communications is managing the City2City Greater Springfield blog. The intent is solely to provide information about the initiative and inform those interested about ongoing City2City initiatives. Paul is a member of the City2City Greater Springfield planning committee and participated in the first trip to Winston-Salem and Greensboro, North Carolina. He will post content generated by City2City participants, provide updates on related initiatives and publish input from those interested in the initiative. For those wishing to provide content, Paul can be reached at paul@paulrobbinsassociates.com.
Planning Committee
- Tim Brennan - Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
- Jose Claudio - New North Citizens' Council, Inc.
- Richard Debonis - Hampden Bank
- Heriberto Flores - Partners for Community
- Denise Jordan - City of Springfield, Office of Mayor Domenic Sarno
- Joan Kagan - Square One
- Jay Minkarah - Develop Springfield
- Barbara Moffat (formerly Campanella) - Western New England University
- Marikate Murren - MGM Springfield
- Vanessa Otero - New North Citizens' Council, Inc.
- Sarah Page - HAPHousing
- Nancy Reiche - Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
- Paul Robbins - Paul Robbins Associates
- Dora Robinson - United Way of Pioneer Valley
- Glenn Welch - Hampden Bank
- Lora Wondolowski - Leadership Pioneer Valley
- Katie Zobel - Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts