design:SD wrap-up

The design:SD charrette has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean the work is over. Armed with ideas, dreams and sketches, the implementation period has officially begun. Before we begin working on a way to realize some of the visions you described, though, we need to take a minute to recap and debrief on what worked and what didn’t. Corsica was the first community in South Dakota to experience a design team visit, and we need your ideas on how we could make it better. We appreciate your thoughts!

Please take a minute or two to post a comment, or send us an email at rlc@rlcenter.net–you can also call us at (605) 772-5139.

Thanks so much!

Visioning Works Both Ways

design:South Dakota team member Sandy Dickenson, an architect from Vermillion, has written a great letter to the editors of a number of newspapers across South Dakota. The letter is about YOU, and all that she, as a volunteer guest in your community, learned about rural places. I think you’ll enjoy reading it. Click here to take a look.

As always, please post your thoughts and comments in the “Leave a Comment” box.

Design:South Dakota Team Presentation

Here is the presentation from Saturday, with images of all the design boards. The Corsica charrette was a great experience for the team, and hopefully for you too. Now it’s time to get to work on implementing ideas and dreams about the future of the Corsica region!

Below is the “Original” design:SD Team, who spent three days in the Corsica region learning and dreaming with you.

(pictured left to right, beginning with back row): Alan Weiskemp, Scott Anderson, Joe Bartmann, Eric Ambroson, Lindsey Karlson, Tom Reasoner, Sandy Dickenson and Jim Beddow. Not pictured: Mike Knutson, Terry Aaker and John Deppe.

We’re Here!

  

The design:SD Team arrived in Corsica last night, and we’ve been spending the morning today in the “Learning Studio” at the Legion Hall. We’ll jump on a bus this afternoon to tour the community and the region, and finish our learning day with the Community Potluck tonight at the Public Grade School gym.

   

You can follow along with real time updates on designsd.org.

Meet the Design Team

Click here to see the design:SD Team roster. The team will begin arriving in Corsica on Wednesday evening, May 16th, and will be in town through Saturday morning.

design:SD Schedule for Thursday

The first-ever design:South Dakota charrette begins Thursday, May 17 with the “Learning Studio” at the Corsica Legion Hall. We’ll kick things off with presentations from local leaders, followed by Community Roundtables–discussions about six different topics.

Click here to view the full Thursday Learning Studio schedule.

City Council Tonight (5/7)

I’ll be presenting at the City Council meeting tonight at 7:45 about the design:SD project details. Give us a call at 605-772-5139 if you’d like to visit while I’m in town today. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Joe B.

Rural Learning Center

Why only Corsica Public?

We’ve had a couple people ask us why we’ve only been working with Corsica Public School students on the design:SD project. The answer is pretty simple: timing. When we began learning from and working with the Corsica community last fall, folks at the public school talked to us about a new program they were launching called “Senior Project.” CHS had applied for and received a state grant to implement a semester-long, hands-on learning experience for the senior English class. School officials had decided to go ahead with the program, but hadn’t selected a topic or format for the the students to work within.

At about he same time, we had just launched a Youth Engagement

Public Events Schedule for design:SD

View the design:SD schedule

The Design South Dakota Team needs your ideas and input May 17 and 18. The 3-plus day design:SD event, called a “charrette,” is described by project leaders as a “mixing bowl” of local knowledge, ideas and visions for the future, with the expertise and experience of professionals from outside the community.

The design:SD team of volunteer architects, planners, engineers and community developers from across the region will arrive in Corsica on the evening of May 16. On Thursday, May 17, the team will be set up at the Corsica Legion Hall from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm to learn from community members. From 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, the team invites the public to share ideas and visions about the future of this region at “Community Roundtables.” Each table will have a focused conversation about one topic, like Regional Economy, Local Housing, Recreation, Transportation, Education, etc.

Later on Thursday evening, the regional community is invited to a Potluck Town Hall Meeting at the Grade School Gymnasium at 6:30 pm. Community members are invited to share food and ideas with each other and the Design Team.

On Friday afternoon from 2-4pm, the Design Studio will be open to the public. This will give community members a chance to watch the team work. The Team will also host a “Community Feedback Session” on Friday at 5:00pm at the Legion Hall. On Saturday, May 19, the Team will make a presentation to the community at 10:00 am at the Grade School Gym.

The Design:SD event will be a busy one for the Corsica area community. You can see or print a Full design:SD schedule by clicking here, or print and cut out a Shorter Schedule here.

Host a Design Team Member!

Does your family have an extra room in the house? Would you like to experience Design: South Dakota in a unique and exciting way? You can host a Design team member!

The Corsica Commercial Club is still looking for a few more host families in the Corsica area. Design Team members, who will be volunteering their time to the regional community for 3-plus days May 16-19, need a place to stay. Some team members will be staying at the Corsica Inn, and some will stay with local families. “Staying with families is another way for the Team to get to know and appreciate the community,” says Joe Bartmann of the Rural Learning Center. “Team members are coming from all over the state, and so it’s really important that they begin to understand the people and culture here before trying to help.”

If you have room and would like to host one or more team members, please contact Rose Lauck at 946-5245 or 946-5482. All meals are provided by design:SD, so all your guest would need is a place to stay.