Page1|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com

WORKINGFORAGREATERAUSTIN

2016ProgressUpdate

Page2|ProgressUpdate2016www.vision2020austin.com

AMessagefromtheDirectorGregSiems

2016wascertainlyanexcitingyeartobeinAustin,Minnesota.Aslewofimportantprojects,Vision2020-ledandotherwise,werecompletedorgotagreatstartthispastyear.WiththegrandopeningofthenewdowntownSPAMMuseum,thestartofredevelopmentattheformerOakParkMallsite,andapprovaloftheCommunityRecreationcenterproject,ourcityispoisedtomakeevengreaterstridesin2017.OurvolunteersareproudtoplayapartintheunfoldingstorythatisAustin’spresentandfuture.

It’simpossibletoacknowledgeandappreciateallofthedifferentwaysourvolunteershavepositivelyimpactedthecommunity.InlargepartthisisbecauseVision2020ismuchmorethananorganization–itisamovement.Wearenotcontenttositbackandwatchwhiletheoutsideworldhappenstous.Weproactivelydevelopideasandbringthemtolifeinordertoreshapeourcityforthebetter.

Thesevaluesextendfarbeyondcommitteemeetingsorevents.EveryAustinite,whethertheyaredirectlyinvolvedwithVision2020ornot,ismakingapositivedifferenceatwork,athome,andinthecommunity.Soaboveallwethankyou,ourneighborsandfriends,formakingAustinagreatplacetolive,work,andplayforeveryone.

AcknowledgmentsandoutreachTheaccomplishmentshighlightedwithinthesepagesareonlyasmallsamplingofourvolunteers’work,andnoneofitwouldbepossiblewithoutthegenerousfinancialsupportofothercommunityorganizations.SpecialthanksareduetoTheHormelFoundationandMayoClinicHealthSystem–Austinforprovidingtheoperationalfundsthatallowustokeepthelightsonandtellourstorytothecommunity.ThanksalsototheAustinAreaChamberofCommerceandtheDevelopmentCorporationofAustinfortheongoingadministrativesupportthatmakesourworkpossible.Withoverheadcostsofonly$60,000peryear,wewereabletoleverageover$1millioninprojectgrantsandothersupportin2016.

Vision2020hasover100activevolunteersofdiverseages,backgrounds,andprofessions.

2016wasalsoayearfullofestablishingnewconnectionsandstrengtheningexistingoneswithinthecommunity.TheVision2020websitewascompletelyrebuiltfromthegroundupinordertomaximizeitsfunctionalityandprovideasmuchinformationaspossibleaboutourwork.OurFacebookpagesawa17%increaseinfollowers,wherepictures,articles,andmoreregularlyreachthousandsofpeopleatatime.Theworkofour100+volunteersreceivedpositivemediacoverageineverymajornewsoutletinthearea,includingtheAustinDailyHerald,KAAL,KTTC,KIMT,andKAUS,aswellastheRochesterPost-BulletinandMinneapolisStar-Tribune.

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2016wasabanneryearfortheBikingandWalkingTrailscommittee.Volunteersloggedhundredsofhoursdevelopingprograms,organizingevents,andsecuringfundsformajorprojects.AllofthisworkculminatedwiththeLeagueofAmericanBicyclistsrecognizingAustinasan“honorablemention”bike-friendlycity!Herearejustafewofthecommittee’shighlightsfromthisyear:• LaunchoftheRedBikefreebikeshareprogram• Dozensofchildrenandadultsreceivedlow-cost

helmetsatthe3rdannualBikeSafetyDay• Secureda$10,000grantfromTheHormel

FoundationtoexpandandimproveAustin’snewMountainBikingTrail

• Secureda$60,000grantfromtheCityofAustinandTheHormelFoundationtoextendatrailleadingintotheSWedgeofToddPark

TheBusinessFriendlyEnvironmentcommitteewasexcitedtoseesomanybigchangesinAustinin2016.Leadersfrommanylocalorganizationsaretakingtheconversationsatcommitteemeetingsandturningthemintoconcreteaction:• Volunteershelpeddevelopandpassa5-year

propertytaxabatementprogramtospurdevelopmentofqualityworkforcehousing.

• TheCityandDCAarecraftinganewincentiveprogramforbusinessesthatcreatequalityjobs.

• TheSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenterbeganofferingexpandedhoursoffreecounselingforanyonelookingtostartorgrowabusiness.

• ConstructionbeganonthenewHy-Veestore,madepossiblebya$3.6millionHormelFoundationgrantin2015fortheCitytopurchasetheformerOakParkMallsite.

BikingandWalkingTrails

BusinessFriendlyEnvironment

MayorTomStiehmisfittedforahelmetatBikeSafetyDay2016

MarkThein(left)offersfreebusinesscounselingthroughtheSBDC

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CommunityPrideandSpiritvolunteersareconstantlycomingupwithexcitingnewwaystomakeadifferenceandinspireotherstolendahand,and2016wasnoexception:• HundredsofspecialValentine’scardswere

createdbylocalyouthanddeliveredtolawenforcementpersonnelandseniorcitizens.

• TheCommunityHomeImprovementProgramfinisheditsfourthyearofassistinghomeownersinneed.Todateover60propertieshavebeenfixedupwiththehelpofHabitatforHumanity.

• Groundworkwaslaidforanonlinevolunteerdatabasetomatchlocalopportunitieswithinterestedcommunitymembers.

• Volunteerslaunchedanewfoodwasterecoveryinitiative,tohelputilizeleftoversfromrestaurantsandgrocerystoresattheSalvationArmykitchen.

2016broughtnoshortageofexcitingnewsforCommunityRecCentervolunteers:• Apurchaseagreementforthedowntownpower

plantsitewasfinalizedwithAustinUtilities.AUwillberesponsibleforanyenvironmentalremediationandprovidingabuild-readysite.

• TheCityCouncilandYMCABoardofDirectorsapprovedaleaseagreementforthefuturefacility,givingthegoaheadforvolunteerstofinalizethefacility’sdesignandprogrammingneeds.

• Preparationsbeganforthe$5millionfundraisingcampaign,whichwillcomplementTheHormelFoundation’shistoric$25milliongranttotheproject.

• ThePackerDomeatWescottFieldsuccessfullycompleteditsfirstseasonandreopenedagainforteampracticesandtrackusersthisNovember.

•

ThePackerDomeisagreatresourceforgettingactiveinthewintermonths!(photocourtesyAustinDailyHerald)

CommunityPride&Spirit

CommunityRecreationCenter

TheAustinRotaryClubworkingonaCHIPprojectinAugust

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Inarapidlychangingtechnologicalenvironment,Austinisluckytohavevolunteerspushingtoputourcommunityonthecuttingedge.TheCommunityWideTechnologycommitteespent2016doingavarietyofimportanttasks:• Researchingthecost,feasibility,andbusiness

modelsofdifferentoptionstobringstateoftheartbroadbandspeedstotheentirecommunity,alongwithcultivatingpotentialfundingsources.

• Lobbyingforincreasedbroadbandfundingatthestatelevel,aswellasforchangestooutdatedtelecommunicationslaws.

Alsoofnote,thecommitteeisverypleasedtoseetheprogressandexpansionofthe“hotspot”programattheAustinPublicLibrary.TheseInternetdevicesareavailableforanyonetocheckout,andareanimportantinitialsteptowardbridgingthedigitaldivide.

DowntownAustinismorebustlingthaneverthankstoavarietyoffuneventsandotheractivities,nottomentionthehardworkofallthesmallbusinesseswhooffertheirgoodsandservicestothecommunity.Somenotablehappeningsin2016:• ThenewSPAMMuseumopeneditsMainStreet

doorsinApril,fulfillingoneofourvolunteers’biggestoriginalvisions.

• Volunteershelpedorganizeanewfamily-friendly“HarvestFest”eventinSeptember,whichalongwithSummerKickoffandFallFestbroughtovertwothousandpeopleDowntown.

• WorkedwiththeCitytomakeneededaestheticimprovementsDowntown,includinginstallationofattractivenewparkinglotsignsandtheremovalofseveraloldinformationalkiosks.

ThenewSPAMMuseumhasalreadybroughtover100,000visitorstoDowntownAustin

Improvingaccesstotechnologyiscriticalforstudentsofallages(PhotocourtesyAustinDailyHerald)

CommunityWideTechnology

DestinationDowntown

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Afterseveralyearsofplanningandhardworkwithgovernmentagenciesandotherlocalorganizations,GatewaytoAustinvolunteersbegantoenjoythefruitsoftheirlaborsin2016:• Thefirstbatchofnewwayfindingsignswas

installedthroughouttownwithgenerousfundingfromTheHormelFoundation,helpingdirectvisitorstoAustin’smostpopulardestinations.

• Fundingwassecuredforenhancementstothe11thDr.NEbridgeoverI-90,whichwillbethefirstbridgetobereplacedusingthefunctionalandaestheticstandardssetoutintheAustinVisualQualityManual.Thiswillmeanwidersidewalks,improvedlightingandguardrails,andattractivenewlandscapingtobeenjoyedbyvisitorsandresidentsalike.

Improvingwaterquality,floodcontrol,andoutdoorrecreationhasalwaysbeenimportanttothecitizensofAustin,andourWaterwaysvolunteersputincountlesshoursin2016cultivatingthesupportandresourcesnecessaryforthiswork:• Secured$130,000ingrantfundsthroughthe

MinnesotaDNRandTheHormelFoundationtoacquireflood-pronelandneartheRamseyMillPond,thefirststepinredevelopingtheareatocreatemorerecreationalopportunities.

• LobbiedelectedofficialsatthestatecapitolforbondingdollarsfortheRamseyMillPondprojectandimprovementsforthe4thAve.NEdam.

• Received$2,000fromtheAustinAreaFoundationtocreateanewcanoe-kayaklaunchsitefortheCedarRiverStateWaterTrailbehindMarcusenParkbaseballstadium.

NearEastSideLakeyoucanfindanexampleofthebeautifulnewdirectionalsignsthatarescatteredthroughouttown

WeareproudtopartnerwiththeCedarRiverWatershedDistrictintheirworktoprotectandimproveourwaterways

GatewaytoAustin

Waterways

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2016sawaflurryofactivityforthevolunteerActionTeamsofAustinAspires,theindependentnonprofitformedthreeyearsagobyVision2020’sEducationLeaderscommittee:• Kindergartenreadiness:establishmentof

community-widenormstobesharedwithcaregiversinSpring2017.

• Academicpotential:developmentofaresourceguideofacademicopportunitiesforlearnersfromcradletocareer.

• Parentsandmentors:evaluationofparentneedstoimproveorexpandcurrentprograms.

• Collegeandcareer:growthofnewjobshadowingopportunitiesforAustinHighandPacellistudents.

• Health:gatheringstoriesofresilienceandpromotingpositivemessagesthroughoutthecommunity.

Despiteallofthegreatthingswe’veaccomplishedthisyear,theworkofmakingAustinthebestitcanbeisneverfinished.Aswemoveclosertoourgoaloftransformingthecommunityby2020,yoursupportismoreimportantthanever.Youcanshareyourideasatameeting,volunteerforanevent,ordonatefundstokeepourcommitteesgoing.Nospecialexpertiseorlong-termcommitmentsarerequired,onlyadesiretoimprovethecommunity.Ifyou’dliketobeapartofourlargenetworkofvolunteers,youarealwayswelcometostopbyourofficeorgiveusacall.Youcanalsolearnmoreatourwebsite,whereyoucanseewhatwe’recurrentlyworkingon,findlinkstonewsarticles,andmuchmore.ThankyouforyoursupportofVision2020-we’relookingforwardtoanothergreatyearinAustin,Minnesota!

TheScienceFairMentoringProjectisemblematicofAustinAspires’goals.Allstudentscanparticipate,bechallenged,andgrowtotheirpotential.

AustinAspires(EducationLeaders)

2017andbeyond

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WORKINGFORAGREATERAUSTIN

www.Vision2020Austin.com

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