On Thursday, January 25, the Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority (UDA), NewTown Macon, and Macon Action Plan Steering Committee held an Open House at the Tubman African American Museum.
“We had a great crowd of people who were ready to listen, share ideas, and ask questions,” said Executive Director Alex Morrison. “So much has happened since MAP began in 2015 – from new housing and businesses to great events and public space improvements – that we’re ready to take Macon to the next level.”
If you missed it, there is still time to share your input. You can share your ideas by visiting this website.
In August, more than 200 people attended events in Linear Park and at Fall Line Brewing to give their input.
“People who came out were really engaging with the process, absorbing the information, and giving their feedback,” said UDA Executive Director Alex Morrison. “A lot of people who I’ve never seen in these rooms were there, which just shows when you earnestly plan you get a cross section of the community that reflects its diversity in a broader way.”
Funding for this event and the overall creation of the Macon Action Plan is from the Downtown Challenge Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, generously supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Peyton Anderson Foundation.
About the Macon Action Plan
The Macon Action Plan (MAP) is a comprehensive, community-driven, plan that envisions the future of Macon’s Urban Core. The Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority received generous grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Peyton Anderson Foundation to fund this effort to plan for our collective future. Facilitated by the Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority, Macon-Bibb County, and their partners, MAP is our roadmap to guide change and decision making in coming years.
MAP was approved in October 2015, summarizing an 18 month-long planning process that included input from more than two thousand people. The plan – thanks to initial funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Peyton Anderson Foundation ($1.5 million from each) and grant implementation by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia – the Downtown community has completed eighty percent of the strategies and project in the original plan. Downtown, through the success of MAP, has also attracted more than $400 million in additional public and private investment.
With the overwhelming success that was led by the community through MAP, Macon was featured in the Reimagining the Civic Commons’(RCC) report on civic engagement, Investing with Intention: Our Four Outcomes, and to host the nation-wide Civic Commons Studio in April 2023.
The report focused on the successes of two cities: Macon, GA and Lexington, KY. They were selected because of their work to advance civic engagement and strengthen democracy through public spaces. For Macon, RCC cited the Macon Action Plan (MAP) as a national example of how cities can creatively involve residents in improving their communities.
The Studio featured more than 100 public space experts from cities and leading nonprofits from across the country. Attendees toured the city, learned about Macon’s public spaces and revitalization efforts, explored Downtown’s connection to the Historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood, and learned about the collaborative efforts to turn Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park into Georgia’s first National Park.
“Once again, the nation is looking at Macon as a national leader of democratizing both its planning and implementation of public projects, and building a more inviting, inclusive, and prosperous community for all people,” said UDA Executive Director Alex Morrison.