SPRINGFIELD CENTER – All residents, property owners, civic groups, businesses, and government officials are invited to participate in a special “planning and visioning” workshop to shape the future of the town of Springfield.

The event will be held Monday, March 19, at the Springfield Community Center on County Route 29A in Springfield Center. The alternate snow date is March 26.

The workshop will start promptly at 7 p.m. and is expected to conclude around 9:30. This planning session is open to the public, and the entire community is invited to participate.

Springfield is in the process of developing a comprehensive plan for the town. With assistance from a planning consultant, this workshop is designed to make sure that the plan incorporates the thoughts, opinions, hopes, and aspirations of the residents. The comprehensive plan will be a blueprint to guide physical growth, land use, recreation, infrastructure and community development action strategies.

During the visioning session, the town’s consultant, Nan Stolzenburg, will lead participants through several activities to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in the town that would influence future development, as well as develop a town-wide vision statement.    

At the workshop, participants will work in small groups in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. “It is important that the comprehensive plan is developed to address issues of concern to the residents and land owners in the town of Springfield,” Stolzenburg said. “The strength of such a plan comes when its development has involved a diversity of people in the process. This workshop is a great opportunity to get lots of people involved. Everyone’s input is important and it will contribute towards the plan.”  

The information learned at the workshop will be used to understand what the public perceives as the strengths, weaknesses, and long-range vision for Springfield.

It will also be used to identify specific topics that will be further explored in a town-wide survey and focus groups. It is anticipated that a town-wide survey will be mailed to residents shortly after this workshop.