Next Steps

This program resulted in two days of rich conversation, with participants from 8 culturally and geographically diverse Oklahoma communities and our resource teams of 8 Oklahoma-based professionals.

We discussed many types of projects during these retreats, but a couple of themes rose to the top no matter the project:

• Quality communities approach their challenges and opportunities by inviting feedback and ideas from residents at all stages of project development. • Quality communities need accessible, shared public spaces where people can gather or program events. • Quality communities have a long term vision, but can identify ways to start with lighter, quicker, cheaper changes. • Quality communities visit and learn from other places that have experienced the same types of projects.

Hopefully, these conversations have resulted in a new ideas and energy for participants and resource team members so they can achieve their goals. The facing page has some common resources for funding.

On behalf of the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality Communities, we thank you for your participation in this new program. First, we are grateful to community partners for bringing their local projects forward for conversation. We are also grateful to our resource team, for sharing their time and expertise to make both retreats valuable discussions. Finally, we must thank our sponsors at the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and the Oklahoma Municipal League for their financial support to the program.