Legacy Project
Rural Placemaking Initiative Challenge (RPIC): Delta Communities Connected through Placemaking
Funder: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
Project Timeline: October 1, 2020 - September 30, 2022
Country: United States
Program Areas: U.S. Programs and Locally Led Development
Contacts: Michelle Perez, michelle.perez@winrock.org and Jordyn Schneider, Jordyn.Williams@winrock.org
The Delta Communities Connected through Placemaking and Innovation (DCCPI) project seeks to facilitate locally driven efforts to improve quality of life, rural economy, and e-connectivity in the Mid-Delta region of Arkansas. DCCPI leverages the strong cultural identity and current placemaking efforts of Lonoke, England, Stuttgart, and Helena-West Helena with innovative state initiatives focused on enhancing broadband in rural communities and expanding bicycling infrastructure and tourism. DCCPI fosters sustainability and resiliency for project development by creating a collaborative, regional network of community leaders and partners.
The 2017 Arkansas Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan outlined a Statewide Bikeway Network to connect to the U.S. Bicycle Route System. The USBRS is a national network of safe routes connecting states from coast to coast. The USBRS corridors will connect Arkansas to neighboring states and link rural and urban communities to a growing network of trails. The proposed U.S. Bike Route 80, stretching 150 miles from West Memphis to Little Rock, passes directly through DCCPI communities. Winrock and project partners will assist communities in leveraging cycling culture and infrastructure to address projects as diverse as downtown revitalization efforts, park development, entrepreneurship, and pedestrian and motor traffic safety issues.
The DCCPI project supports the RPIC purposes of developing or increasing the recipients’ capacity through technical assistance to increase rural prosperity. To advance both local community development initiatives and regional placemaking collaboration, DCCPI will focus on three goals:
- Build the capacity of local leaders in England, Lonoke, Stuttgart, and Helena-West Helena to effectively plan and execute community development strategies;
- Build the capacity of leaders in the project area to address e-connectivity gaps and needs;
- Leverage and strengthen multisector and multijurisdictional partnerships in the project area to foster sustainability and resilience of local and regional placemaking efforts.
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