River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan <br />Engagement Summary <br /> <br />Page 2 of 11 <br /> <br />Phase 1: Reaching Out (2017) <br />In the summer of 2017, the community organizations, volunteers, and staff began the ‘Reaching Out’ <br />phase to raise awareness about the project and opportunities for input. <br />The goal of the Reaching Out phase was to give as many community members as possible the <br />opportunity to provide input into the vision for their neighborhood. The results of this outreach <br />identified areas where community members were united, and it flagged some more complicated areas <br />for future neighborhood conversations. <br />Raising Awareness <br />Community volunteers and project staff began raising awareness about the project by meeting with <br />neighbors where they were. They promoted the project at fun activities like Sunday Streets and the <br />grand opening of the new River Road Elementary School and during routine errands at the grocery store. <br />Volunteers from the community organizations canvassed their neighborhoods with informational flyers, <br />sent updates in their newsletters, and used social media to share information. In total, there were more <br />than 20 events in advance of the fall kick-off event. <br />Kick-off Event <br />The fall 2017 community event at North Eugene High School was a huge success, with nearly 400 people <br />filling the Highlander gymnasium. Activities at the kick-off event included a mapping exercise to identify <br />what residents value about the area and a ‘my ideas’ activity that asked participants to share their <br />future hopes for the neighborhood. Community volunteers and project staff were thrilled with this <br />result but knew there were community members who were unable to attend evening meetings, so an <br />extra effort was made to meet with them at more convenient times and places with targeted outreach. <br />Targeted Outreach <br />To bring in fresh voices, the project stepped out of the meeting room and into the community, <br />conducting unique activities with interesting visuals that stimulated important conversations. The <br />project staff and community volunteers formed partnerships with local organizations like St. Vincent <br />DePaul, Food for Lane County, and our local schools. These organizations helped reach a broader cross