As city and county leaders know, planning is key to implementing a vision.
The first Greenville Plan was a 1907 plan from a Boston consulting firm that called for a park to be built around Reedy River Falls. Unity Park was proposed in 1938. The tree planting and narrowing of Main Street was proposed in 1980. These plans are now a reality thanks to efforts of visionary mayors.
The city has recently completed its GVL2040 comprehensive plan, which focuses on three areas: open space, affordable housing and transportation/mobility. The county plan, mandated by the state legislature, looks at seven areas of the county. Both plans were thoughtfully written, have quality content and are available online.
However, vision processes since 1987 have played a significant role in Greenville successes. I think the Greenville Chamber should once again move forward with a Vision 2045.
The 1987 Vision Process was chaired by Max Heller and sponsored by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. The document was called “Vision 2005: Greenville, the Journey Forward.” The task force addressed six areas: economy, livability, infrastructure, community, government and leadership. The original list of 50 projects included:
- New research park (Clemson International Center).
- Upstate coliseum (Bon Secours Wellness Center).
- Performing arts center (The Peace Center).
- Removal of the Camperdown Bridge (Liberty Bridge).
- Year-round governor’s school for the arts (opened 1998).
The list was updated in a chamber effort chaired by Pat Haskell Robinson in 1994. The vision was largely successful for one reason – public-private partnerships – in which visionary leaders were willing to put time and significant money into projects while working alongside committed local and state governments.
The Chamber repeated the process in 2004 with Vision 2025. That effort was chaired by Furman President David Shi and community leader Minor Shaw. Sixteen task forces made recommendations for the private sector, the public sector, public health and quality of life.
The final report had a list of 29 projects that included the 211 hotlines, the Swamp Rabbit Trail, Lake Conestee, Meadowbrook Park, and a Minor League baseball stadium.
Unlike the previous visioning efforts, Vision 2025 combined project lists with some undefined goals such as “Keep the Green in Greenville.” Shortly after the vision was published in 2004, Russell Stall established Greenville Forward to help implement the plan. Over the next 10 years, Greenville Forward gave structure to many of these fuzzy goals and as well, [combining] vision statements into more workable projects.
The Vision 2045 process should:
- Start with the Greenville Forward work. That process broke down previous visions into categories that could be better tracked and managed. The categories were: green, healthy, creative, connected, inclusive and innovative.
- Fold the population metric (222,000 people by 2040) into the vision.
- Identify still-viable projects from previous visions and visionary leaders. This would include projects such as [an] international center with a sculpture garden and a permanent home for the BJU Museum.
- Include smart city technologies that will dramatically impact Greenville County in the next 20 years. Technologies should include adaptive stoplights, autonomous vehicles, urban farming, smart cameras, etc.
- Have economic developers and educators assemble a vision for the workforce and economic development drivers in 2045.
- Have the Coalition of Charitable Organizations assemble a common vision for a Greenville that has eliminated poverty.
- Consider projects that have not yet been on the table. Greenville, for example, should have a 25-year master plan to bury the morass of aboveground power lines.
Vision 2045 will once again get people excited about the future and provide a pathway for planners and public-private partnerships to make the vision happen.
Perhaps Southernside Neighborhood President Mary Duckett said it best at the dedication of the statue honoring Lila Mae Brock on April 19.
“Stick to your vision,” she said, “and help someone along the way.”
George Fletcher is a former city council member and chamber board chairman.
