NEWS FROM NIRPC – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 8, 2018
Contact: Mitch Barloga, Active Transportation Manager
219-763-6060; mbarloga@nirpc.org
Greenways+Blueways 2020 Plan Receives Achievement Award from National Association of Regional Councils; Region President Named
The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) was awarded the Medium Metro Achievement Award for their Greenways+Blueways 2020 Plan (G+B 2020 Plan), as presented by the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) during their 52nd Annual Conference and Exhibition Gala Dinner in Orlando, FL on June 5, 2018.
The G+B 2020 Plan highlights the benefits and relationships of both environmental and non-motorized transportation planning through three main topics: conservation, recreation, and transportation. The Conservation chapter focuses on opportunities to connect large but fragmented patches of conservation land across Northwestern Indiana. The Recreation chapter discusses trails on both land and in water. Finally, the Transportation chapter outlines policies and practices to continue advancing non-motorized culture in Northwestern Indiana. The G+B 2020 Plan is an ambitious vision for tying together distinct but mutually beneficial focus areas in conservation and non-motorized transportation.
Following is an Integration chapter taking each of the three main concepts and proposing concepts that compliment and enhance each other. The G+B 2020 Plan concludes with an in-depth Implementation chapter focusing on action steps as delineated between eight major stakeholder groups. Every goal and objective are assigned specific actions, tailored to each stakeholder’s circle of influence. The result affords all people an opportunity to advance the goals the plan.
NIRPC’s Executive Board approved the G+B 2020 Plan on March 15, 2018. The plan can be read in its entirety by accessing the NIRPC website via this link: https://nirpc.org/2040-plan/transportation/greenways-blueways/greenways-blueways-resources/greenways-blueways-2020-plan/
In other significant news at the conference, Geof Benson, Beverly Shores Councilman and current Chairman of NIRPC, was named the new President of NARC. NIRPC congratulates Geof for his outstanding commitment to regional government both here and nationally. In addition, Blair Milo, former Mayor of La Porte, now Secretary of Career Connections and Talent for the State of Indiana, served as a keynote speaker at the conference.
Last modified: June 8, 2018
