A community gathering is happening this Saturday to gain input on ideas to establish and develop a community project on Fort Scott’s east side.

The name of the event is Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods, and is hosted by the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team. The event will be on Feb. 26 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Fort Scott Fire House #2, 23 S. Franklin.  Breakfast will be provided and there will be a tablet giveaway drawing.

“We have $70,000 for this Creative Placemaking project through the Patterson Family Foundation Grant and Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways Grant,” Rachel Carpenter, HBCAT Program Coordinator said.

“Creative placemaking is allowing community’s residents to be part of the decision-making process of the project,” Carpenter said. “They get to decide where and what the project can be. Some examples would be fixing up an underutilized park, turning an alleyway into an art gallery, or restoring an abandoned building to make it into a community center. The possibilities are endless and are completely up to the community!”

Through this project, the organization seeks to help the east side residents “reimagine a place in the community to increase vibrancy, build capacity among the residents to take ownership of their communities and improve economic conditions,” Carpenter said.

“This public forum is part of one of our Creative Placemaking projects that will be on the east side of Fort Scott,” Rachel Carpenter said.

At this event, HBCAT will review with the participants what is in place for the Creative Placemaking project, have the residents share what they want to see in their neighborhood, identify what challenges may be encountered, and start identifying the options, she said.

The target participants are Fort Scott east side residents who want to build up their neighborhood, she said.

“This is 1 of 3 public forums we will have,” Carpenter said. “Our planning committee will take the ideas from the audience that fits with the grant criteria, and pick one to start developing a sustainability plan for a project.”

 About HBCAT

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s mission is to increase access to healthy food and physical activity, promote commercial tobacco cessation, enhance the quality of life and encourage economic growth. Our solution to building healthy communities is by transforming power, building trust, and encouraging community participation. A comprehensive strategy for change includes local organizing, strategic communication, community research, creating systems, and environmental changes.

The office is located at 104 N. National Avenue, just north of Luther’s Restaurant and Carpenter can be reached at 620.215.2562.