Residents asked to re-imagine Lismore

LISMORE City Council is asking residents how they would like to shape the future of their area through an innovative new project called ‘Imagine Lismore’.

Lismore City Council is calling on residents to re-imagine their region

LISMORE City Council is asking residents how they would like to shape the future of their area through an innovative new project called 'Imagine Lismore'.

The 14 month community-wide conversation will ask residents what they would like for their community, their quality of life, their family, their employment or business opportunities, their facilities, their environment and their ability to have their say about future decisions for their place.

The information gathered will be used to develop a community designed and owned vision that will inform decisions about our future for the next 10 years and will culminate in the 'Imagine Lismore' Community Strategic Plan.

Council's General Manager, Gary Murphy, described 'Imagine Lismore' as the most extensive consultation project ever undertaken in this community.

"Imagine Lismore represents an exciting opportunity for all of our communities - including Lismore, Nimbin and the surrounding villages as well as rural and natural heritage areas - to have their say about what they would like their future to look like," Mr Murphy said.

"An important distinction about this project is that we are not just asking about Council infrastructure and services, we will also be asking, 'what does this community aspire to' in a big picture sense.

"Once we have an understanding of the community's vision, it will then be up to Council to work within our own organisation, and also with other service providers across the community, such as state and federal agencies and non-government bodies, to plan a response to that vision."

Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell said she was looking forward to the community having the opportunity to identify its vision for the future.

"Council has spent considerable time designing the consultation process we are now embarking on.  We will be launching a community-wide survey in the next couple of weeks and we encourage as many people as possible to get involved and share their views," Councillor Dowell said.

"Also, we will shortly commence recruiting via telephone enquiry for a Citizens' Jury.  The Jury is designed to be a demographically representative, randomly-selected group of residents selected to participate in a two day 'Imagine Lismore' workshop in early August that will deliberate on community priorities and aspirations for the future.

For more information visit www.imaginelismore.com.au.
 

Originally published as Residents asked to re-imagine Lismore