Now that the Minnesota Design Team has chosen La Crescent for a 3-day visit this fall, organizers are calling for residents to step forward and volunteer for one of several different committees to make the weekend a success.

On June 25, the city n which has been working on securing a Design Team visit for over a year n held a public information meeting at the La Crescent Community Building. Nearly 80 people crowded in to hear about what the Team is, what it does, what happens during a visit, and most importantly, how they can get involved with the planning and carrying out of the weekend, scheduled for September 11-13.

The Design Team, which began in 1983 in Governor Wendell Anderson’s office, is a volunteer group of the American Institute of Architects-Minnesota. It’s is made up of architects, urban designers, planners, and others with community development expertise and works, and its purpose is to support rural communities in developing a common vision, though it started out helping in urban areas.

When working with a city, the Team focuses on growth management, downtown redevelopment, natural resources, streetscape, and economic development, amongst other issues. It visits only two communities each year.

“The mission of the Design Team is to assist Minnesota communities in developing a shared vision of a healthy future,” said Don Smith, a member of the La Crescent Plan Commission and head of the coordinating committee.

During the Team’s visit, its goal will be to provide suggestions to the community, based on information is receives throughout the process. It does this through the use of design boards that represent solutions to issues, Smith said. The boards stay in La Crescent and are a way of continuing accountability. But for the process to work, it requires input by all segments of the community: children, seniors, those in power, those with little power, organizations, and churches.

“We’re trying to change the way business is done,” Smith said. “We’re talking about a process that brings people together.”

A Design Team visit, Smith cautioned, doesn’t mean the work is done, doesn’t provide all the answers, doesn’t touch on all the issues, doesn’t provide the funding, and doesn’t do the implementation. That’s left to the community and its leaders.

The process began in July of last year when members of the Design Team made a presentation to La Crescent residents about itself and what it does. Last fall, the city pledged its support and got behind the application process. This past March, the Team made a site visit to La Crescent, and in April it approved the city’s application. Now, the coordinating committee needs residents to pitch in on other committees. These are the committees that need help:

Photo survey

This committee needs people to tour the town with a camera and take photos of 3 places people like or feel is special, 3 photos of places they aren’t happy about, and 3 photos of locations that have potential for upgrade, said Bob Hurt of Dakota, chairman of the committee. He’d like a real cross section of people to help: those who’ve lived in La Crescent and know the area, and others who may have just moved to town and are still learning about it.

Written survey

This committee will create surveys to gauge community opinion. It’ll determine ways to distribute the survey and compile information, and the work must be done three weeks before the Team visits September 11-13.

Community tour

Using information from the photo survey, this group will take Team members on a tour of La Crescent, both on bus and foot.

Food

This group is responsible for feeding the Team members. Meals will be at various locations, like churches, schools, or restaurants.

Housing and host family

The 20 Team members will need a place to stay, and it’s always with families in town. These hosts participate in the town meetings, transport members to where they need to be, provide breakfast, and give insight to Team members about the community, said Bev Jiardina, the committee chair.

Facilities

This group will find locations for meetings and receptions.

Community action research

The committee will produce a written document that provides an assessment for effective community design and help the community develop its capacity to understand itself more fully, and act upon that understanding, said chair Chuck Ericksen. It will focus on the natural, social. economic, and cultural environments, and a variety of questions will guide that work.

Smith stressed that, although the Design Team will focus on La Crescent, help is needed and overall plans could affect the surrounding townships of Dresbach, Hokah, and La Crescent, as well as the cities of Dakota and Hokah. He’s calling on people in those communities to get involved, as well. To volunteer on a committee, call Smith at 608-792-9897, email at prodonald@aol.com, or call any other coordinating committee member n David Krenz (895-4484), Bill Waller (895-2595), Chris Hardie (895-2940), Mike Poellinger (895-4356), Sheila Wieser (895-2856) or Dewey Severson (608-769-5177).