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Monday, May 8, 2006 - From the sounds of local music to the heaping plates of Big Mama's barbeque, more than 1,500 Early County residents gathered on the Blakely town square tonight in celebration of the EC2055 initiative and the charrette process taking place this week.
The festivities capped the first day of the charrette, where traditional town planning and development advisory firm PlaceMakers is guiding residents in creation of a fifty-year plan for revitalization and growth. The day began with the remarkably swift assembly of the Design Studio, followed by Blakely resident Stanley Houston's guided tour of the county for the visiting design team.
Echoing an important and oft-repeated theme in the EC2055 process, Mayor of Blakely Ric Hall kicked off the evening by urging county residents to "Let your voices be heard. Very few communities get to do what the Rice Foundation has given us."
Such sentiments continued as Barton Rice, speaking on behalf of the Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation, introduced a series of political leaders representing the area on all levels - national, state and local - and each affirmed their belief that the ultimate success of this historic initiative rests firmly with the citizens of Early County.
"You've started on a great track that will take you a long way," said State Representative Gerald Greene. "But you are the catalyst to make this happen."
With this in mind, it's especially appropriate that the effort is being approached through the charrette model which, despite its high-falutin' name, is really just an effective planning tool where large problems are addressed in a short, intensive period of time, and everyone with a stake in the outcome is engaged along the way.
"We want to hear from everyone, and don't be polite," repeated Nathan Norris, Director of Implementation Advisory for planning partner PlaceMakers. "We don't want southern hospitality. We want you to be brutally honest. Young, old, black, white, rich, poor, smart or slow. We don't care who you are. What matters to us is what matters to you. If you don't tell us, our work will fail."
The goal of the effort, as summarized in the presentations, is a future where Early County's young people don't feel compelled to leave and, instead, stay here to live and raise families.
Residents seemed truly enthused by the prospects. "This feels like the first time the community has really been brought together," said Vincent and Belinda Gilbert, who live in Sandy Bottom. "This is a positive thing for the future."
"I'm excited about this because I think it will bring our young people back," continued Blakely's Angela Bell.
The charrette continues throughout this week, culminating with the closing presentation Sunday, May 14, from 2-4pm.
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 View photos of
opening night.
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Architecture
