Chance meetings are often the most powerful. A young family was playing tonight at Mother’s Brewing Company’s back yard, and they were overflowing about all the positive changes they saw in Springfield after moving from Kansas two years ago. It reminded me how we can be so focused on the…
Author: Rusty Worley for SGFNN
Several years ago, the City of Springfield established the Great Neighborhoods program to recognize registered neighborhoods that meet benchmarks in three core areas – clean, safe, and friendly. They are not specific qualities because it is the role of the neighborhood residents to define what is appropriate for their neighborhood.…
The Springfield community will be refining its priorities in the next few months in the Forward SGF Comprehensive Plan. It will include many worthwhile initiatives, including closing the gaps in the Ozarks Greenways system and enhancing parks, investing in placemaking and addressing public safety. However, neighborhood revitalization should also be…
Potlucks. Block parties. Ice cream socials. After more than a year of social distancing and Zoom meetings, it is good to be back in the company of neighbors. Associations are convening once again in person to engage with one another and find new ways of how to strengthen the quality…
After months of quarantine and a frigid February, it is time to get outside and join your neighbors in a community-wide effort to be more active. Springfield is proud to be the Gateway to the Great Outdoors. It is the home of Bass Pro Shops and the Wonders of Wildlife National…
As we turn the page from a tumultuous and tiresome year, the lessons of the fables of our youth remain unchanging. The story of the Tortoise and the Hare resonated with me as a lanky kid not blessed with quickness. It reminds us to learn from the rabbit’s mistake of…
Fall in the Ozarks is typically an exceptional time of the year. We enjoy our favorite iconic community events like the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, football games, Cider Days and Harvest Fest at Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park. We are disappointed to not have those fall favorites in 2020 due to…
Springfield lost a neighborhood champion in November 2019 when Gary Blankenship unexpectedly passed away. The celebration of the life of the long-time president of the Historic Walnut Street Association (HWSA) sparked reminders of three qualities he shared with grassroots leaders throughout our community – gracious hospitality, vision and commitment to…
Revising codes for nuisance properties. Planning for the future. Cheering on those who run to be healthier. Scheduling clean-up days. It’s another busy fall for the Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) and the 21 neighborhoods it serves. Grass cut quicker With the recommendations from Building Development Services and the support of…
In a growing city like Springfield, each of its 21 registered neighborhoods has its own personality and history. However, they all share three common traits – interacting at a grassroots level, extending a helping hand and advocating for common concerns with a shared voice. Grassroots interaction The summer season is…